Missing Pieces
by SaikoCho
Summary: Jack regains consciousness and is hot on the tail of a certain cat thief. Kimiko is in a similar situation after the other Xiaolin warriors. Katnappé and Keiko make a deal, but will there be a clashing of powers in the snowy mountains? Chapter 13.
1. Prologue

**AN**: This is my first attempt at Xiaolin Shodown fanfiction. I haven't seen every single episode, only a few here and there, but I'm trying to keep them in character as much as possible, with the exception of Keiko. I don't think Keiko has an actual last name in the series, but I thought of using her so she's probably not how she will be in the series as we haven't actually seen her in the series. Everything I describe about Keiko and her connections to Kimiko are from my mind only, I doubt that the show will ever let Keiko have an appearance, but I figured why not try and give her a personality? I apologize for the inconsistencies in my story as well as grammar errors, but other than that I hope it's fun for everyone. I'm going to try and focus on friendship rather than romance and hopefully Keiko doesn't turn out to be a mary sue, I mean, Keiko-sue? Anyway, comments and constructive criticsm appreciated, but not necessary. Try not to flame, ok?

**Summary:** The Xiaolin dragons seem to overlook Jack Spicer as a threat and think of him more of a joke as there are greater forces of evil to be concerned about. Jack Spicer is not one to give up and continues with his plans for world domination, with or without Wuya or any Shen Gong Wu. As everything seems to settle down, the Xiaolin warriors begin to feel a little homesick and decide that a quick visit back to their homes wouldn't hurt, but it seems Kimiko's going to have her share of problems as Keiko is thrown into the mix and their time of peace turns to chaos. Can a Xiaolin warrior really have a 'normal' friend?

_**EDIT**: I finally have free time to look at this again. I really do want to finish it. I'm enjoying this story immensely, although I'm sure not many others share the same sentiment :x I decided to edit while I re-read the chapters so I could get back into the groove. There will probably be remaining errors, but I am trying :) I hope everyone continues to enjoy this piece as much as I do writing it!_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

_**Missing Pieces**_

_Prologue_

* * *

Kimiko growled audible for the others to hear as they rose higher into the air. Her phone displayed a jumble of numbers and colors before emitting a series of high pitched screeches. She winced as she tried pressing a few buttons to stop the noise.

"Yo girl, shut it off! That thing is fried!" Raimundo shouted with his hands over his ears, keeping one eye tightly shut while the other narrowed in a glare.

"I have to agree with Raimundo here, Kimiko." Clay hollered as he pulled down on the rim of his hat to cover his ears, his blonde hair covering his tightly shut eyes.

"Perhaps you should hit it? I have seen Raimundo do that many times to something that had not been functioning properly." Omi piped in helpfully as he plugged his ears with his index fingers.

"Good idea." Kimiko muttered through clenched teeth before she reeled her arm back as if getting ready to throw a pitch and nailed Raimundo on the back of his head. The Brazilian boy yelped in pain as he immediately released his ears to rub at the large bump beginning to form. Omi and Clay watched as the cell phone bounced down onto Dojo's back and towards the ground thousands of feet below, the shrilling fading into nothing.

Kimiko watched her phone disappear out of sight before turning a hateful glare at Raimundo. "You idiot!"

Raimundo looked over his shoulder at her. His hands were still clutching his aching head and tears forming at the corners of his eyes, still glazed over with pain. He took a quick glance at the ground far below them and then back at Kimiko incredulously.

"You can't be serious! You're the one who threw the stupid phone at me!"

"I do not think the phone is working any better at this point." Omi added as he continued to look down. "At least the sound is gone."

"It's best if you keep quiet for now, lil' partner." Clay mumbled as he readjusted his hat. Omi looked up at him innocently, but Kimiko and Raimundo were oblivious to the small exchange.

"For good reason, you jerk!" Kimiko screamed as she fisted her hands and slammed them against Dojo's back.

"Hey, hey! Settle down back there!" Dojo glanced at the four out of the corner of his eyes before quickly turning back to the endless sky ahead of them. He tensed up as the aura of two of the dragons began to build. "Do you want me to throw you guys off?"

"Sorry." Kimiko barely managed to ground out.

"You should be, that really hurt." Raimundo snapped as he continued to rub his head.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Kimiko snapped back.

"What are you so mad about--"

"What? You're actually asking me?" Kimiko gasped, wide-eyed.

"Who do you think I'm asking? Is there another girl PMSing up here? If there is you should point her out so the two of you can get together and go crazy!" Raimundo answered back, keeping a wary eye on her in case she decided to throw one of her many hair accessories at him.

Kimiko was speechless.

"What is PMSing?" Omi asked as he tugged at Raimundo's shirt. Raimundo glanced down at him as Clay had to hold Kimiko back from clawing at the brown haired boy.

"It's what Kimiko's doing right now. You better watch out Omi, if Kim bites you then you're as good as dead since it's real contagious and you start going crazy, but they have shots for that."

"They do? Thank goodness..." Omi sighed in relief. He glanced over at Kimiko who was struggling and hissing like a wild cat in Clay's hold. "Then we will be able to cure Kimiko!"

"Not likely." Raimundo told Omi with a grim look, "Girls won't die from it, but for us guys it's a killer. Better not let her get you Omi, I doubt Master Fung's going to have the shots at the temple to save you."

Omi's eyes widened in fear as he clung to Raimundo's waist, looking over at Kimiko in horror. "Clay, do not let her bite you!"

"Bite me? Omi--" Clay winced as Kimiko elbowed him in the face, nearly causing him to bite his tongue in mid-sentence. "Omi, what in tarnation are you on about now?"

"I'll show you PMS Pedrosa!"

"Rai..." Clay sighed as he managed to pin Kimiko's arms to her sides. "Look Rai, I think you owe Kim here an apology--"

"Apology?" Raimundo frowned. "What did I do?"

"You stupid jerk-faced--" Kimiko broke off into angry Japanese as she struggled with renewed strength.

"The only reason here I ain't letting Kimiko get a piece of you is because you'd both probably end up flatten yourselves like flap jacks on a plate if you two go at it on Dojo here--"

"Hey, no fighting on Dojo. I'm just recovering from my rash!" Dojo whined as he tensed further.

"It wasn't my fault!" Raimundo shouted angrily, "Who has their cell phone out during a battle anyway?"

"It slipped out of my pocket! I was about to pick it up when you sent your trash straight at me!" Kimiko screamed back, referring to the robots that Raimundo had thrown over at her cell phone, cracking it and nearly shattering it to pieces. "Then you even knocked it into the river! And it wasn't just my cell phone you jerk!"

"Oh yeah, never mind the fact that I was almost turned into mincemeat by Spicer's robots!"

"You fight them almost every day, it should be a breeze for you mister I'm-better-than-anyone!"

"The same goes for you miss I-can-do-anything! How many battles have you been in and how hard is it to keep your stupid cell phone at home?"

Dojo sighed as the shouting match continued, closing his eyes momentarily as the onset of a headache began. "Just a couple of hours, a couple more hours! You can do this, you can do this..."

* * *

"Ow, ow, ow..." Jack Spicer whimpered in the comfort of his lair, or more precisely his basement. He nursed a black eye that he was sporting, but it was barely noticeable with the amount of eyeliner he was wearing. He glanced over at a piece of metal to check on his reflection and joked half-heartedly, "This could be a good look for me."

It seemed that ever since Wuya had gained back her physical form and left him for good that things have been increasingly sloping downhill for his career in evil and world domination. He was at his ends rope as he stared at the scraps of metal he managed to salvage from the battle. It was actually more of another chance for the Xiaolin warriors to kick him around than it was a battle.

"Stupid Xiaolin losers." Jack muttered under his breath as he pounded his hand against the metal table, yelping in pain as he raised his hand up and blew on it, shaking it lightly as tears were forming at the corners of his eyes. He continued to hiss in pain as he recalled injuring it during the 'battle,' and total defeat on trying to retrieve another Shen Gong Wu. It was at this point that Jack had to wonder briefly who the real loser was.

"No!" Jack jumped to his feet with a shout, "I'm going to be the person who rules this world and there's no way I'm going to let anyone stand in my way. I don't need Wuya or anyone else, I was going to take over this world even before I found out about the stupid Shen Gong Wu--but that would have been helpful..." Jack broke off as he looked wistful.

"Ah it doesn't matter!" Jack shook his head, stopping quickly as the room began to spin and the throbbing in his head intensified, "First, some ice and aspirin, then world domination!"

With that Jack Spicer stumbled against the table, knocking a few items out of place and towards the stairs, never noticing the pink wallet that fell open on the floor.

* * *

"... And that is the story master." Omi finished as he glanced over at Kimiko and Raimundo who stood with their backs turned to one another, arms crossed and noses high in the air.

"I see," Master Fung glanced at the two briefly before nodding to Omi and Clay. "Give us a moment, you two."

Omi and Clay nodded as they gave a brief nod and bow to Master Fung, giving one last glance at the two simmering teenagers before quietly exiting the temple. Once the door closed behind them, they both glanced at one another before pressing their ears against it, listening intently.

"Well, my young dragons-in-training, it seems we have quite a dilemma here."

"It's all his/her fault!" Kimiko and Raimundo had spun around simultaneously and pointed at one another. Master Fung sighed as sat down and motioned for them to follow suit.

"But Master Fung--" Kimiko began.

"Please sit, Kimiko. Raimundo." Master Fung closed his eyes as he sat with his legs crossed.

Kimiko and Raimundo reluctantly got down and mimicked Master Fung's position, both keeping a fair enough distance from the other and kept their eyes focused on their instructor.

"Master--" Both teenagers spoke at once after a long period of silence which prompted them to glare at one another.

After another moment of silence, they tried again with the same result, "Master--"

Kimiko glared at Raimundo, "I--"

"Look--"

Raimundo and Kimiko immediately broke off, sharing another glare.

"If you're going to say something, then say it and quit wasting my time!" Kimiko hissed, clenching her hands into her skirt.

"Wasting your time? Girl, you must be tripping because the only one wasting anyone's time here is you."

"Before we continue this any further, I would like you both to calm down so we may discuss this calmly and reasonably." Master Fung spoke up firmly before Kimiko could retort back. They both opened their mouths in protest but Master Fung merely raised his hand for silence. Their mouths shut automatically, but the tension in the room remained.

A good five minutes had passed before Master Fung felt that they were at their breaking point and let out a sigh, "Would you like my opinion on the matter?"

"Yes!" Both of them shouted. They looked at him, eagerly awaiting his judgement.

"It seems that you are both at fault," His voice rose as he continued over their indignant protests, "You did want my opinion, did you not?"

"Yes, Master Fung." They replied sullenly.

"As I was saying, you both had contributed to this, ah, tragedy." Master Fung opened his eyes as he found the two glaring at each other resentfully. "Raimundo, you had let your guard during your battles as you have familiarized yourself so well with your enemy, but this led to your carelessness."

Raimundo flinched as Kimiko sneered and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Kimiko," She immediately straightened up in response, "You should have known better to bring such devices with you in the first place. If it was absolutely necessary to bring them, then you should have taken better care to keep them safe. You knew the risk in bringing it."

Raimundo pulled down bottom lid of one of his eyes and stuck out his own tongue as he laughed at her silently. Kimiko bit her lip, looking down in her lap as she clenched her fists tightly into the material of her skirt.

"You're right, Master Fung, but it's not the phone that I'm upset about."

"It's not?" Raimundo stopped his antics as Master Fung looked at her calmly.

"I... I can always get a new phone, I knew that, but it was..." Kimiko looked up at them and for the first time Raimundo actually felt a bit of guilt as he realized how near to tears she seemed to be. "My _omamori_."

Raimundo looked at her in confusion, "You're Omi-whatta?"

"_Omamori,_ you idiot!" Kimiko snapped, her anger overpowering her sadness. "My protection! My good luck charm! I lost that charm and my wallet that had my pictures too! They're probably fish food by now!"

"Geez Kim," Raimundo looked remorseful as he drew imaginary circles on the temple's floor, "I'm, um, ya'know, sorry 'bout that. I had no idea..."

Kimiko stayed silent as she continued to clench her hands into her skirt, shaking in the slightest.

"Do not despair, young one." Master Fung told her quietly as he reached over to place his hand on her shoulder. Her shaking stopped, but her hands did not release their hold on her skirt. "You will be able to make new memories to capture on film and your charm was merely a small trinket that you kept for your own peace of mind. These things would have eventually been lost in time, but you will always be able to replace them as long as you have the support of the ones who had made those memories with you."

"I guess." Kimiko frowned, "But Master Fung, those pictures--"

"I know," Master Fung told her comfortingly, "But you must be glad that you still have those who are important to you. They are happy and safe and that's all that should matter in the end."

Kimiko let his words sink in, slowly releasing her grip on her skirt. She looked over at Raimundo who was waiting for her gaze. He offered her a weak smile. Kimiko felt the corners of her mouth turning upwards briefly, but the remorse of having lost her items was not something she could easily let go of. However, Master Fung was right, it wasn't the end of the world.

* * *

"How can we not have ice?" Jack asked to no one in particular as he descended down the steps to his basement, one hand clutching a raw steak to his injured eye while the other held a glass of water. He was grateful that his parents weren't home which meant he wouldn't have to answer their awkward questions about his black eye and the other minor scratches he had received. It was bad enough that they forced their smiles around him and dubbed his ideas of world domination as a 'phase,' or being 'eccentric.'

"I'll show them when I rule the world." He mumbled as he downed the glass, unaware of the items he had carelessly scattered on the floor earlier. His foot caught onto something and he nearly choked as he was sent flying upwards, landing hard on his already aching back. A howl of pain echoed throughout his basement, his head now throbbing ten times worse as he slammed onto the cold concrete floor.

A string of curses made its way from his lips as he sat up, rubbing his head, tears streaming down his face and running his eye liner. He grabbed what he could reach and hurled it across the room in his anger.

He stopped when he felt something that didn't feel like cold, hard metal. Momentarily forgetting the pain he brought the object up to the light to inspect it. His vision finally cleared of stars as he realized that he was holding something very pink. Wondering if he had damaged the cones in his retinas, Jack used one hand to rub his eyes before focusing on the object again.

It was still very pink. Upon closer inspection he realized it was actually a wallet. Carefully he opened it and blinked in surprise when he found a familiar face within the plastic holders of the wallet.

Kimiko, albeit a younger version, starred back at him with a smile as she held up her hand, two fingers shaped into a 'v' out in front of her. She sat next to a girl who was giving a small smile to the camera, her hands clasped in front of her as she and Kimiko leaned against one another on a bench. They were wearing identical outfits that consisted of a dark blue pleated skirt and a white button down dress shirt with dark blue ties that had matching emblems near the bottom of, what he figured was, their schools symbol. Both of them had loosened their shirts from their skirts waist band and unbuttoned a couple of buttons as well as loosened their ties with their jackets folded in their laps. Jack was surprised to see Kimiko's hair looking somewhat normal for once, hanging straight down passed her shoulders with the exception of a few pins holding her bangs back. Her friend had her dark hair braided that hung down her back and out of sight.

"Looks like she dropped her wallet." Jack said as he flipped through the pictures, his face occasionally wrinkling in disgust as he found an few pictures of the other Xiaolin warriors, but besides them and what he figured to be Kimiko's parents, the girl from the first photo reappeared several times after that, along with a few others who were dressed in the same uniform. Jack guess that it was a close friend as he finished flipping through the photos and began to check how much cash she was carrying. He sighed as he closed the wallet realizing it was foreign money. He was about to toss it aside when an idea hit him.

Jack looked through the photos again and picked out the one he had first seen, studying the background as a grin began to form on his lips. Kimiko's father was the head of a major video game company and had the latest and most advanced technology not yet on the market. He was strapped for cash and supplies at the moment, why not do a little 'shopping' while taking a little trip to Tokyo? After all, Kimiko probably wanted her wallet back and instead of dropping it off at the temple where he would most likely get another beating, he'd just leave it with Kimiko's father. It was an equal trade, wasn't it? Doing a good deed by returning the wallet _and_ taking his reward.

Jack's grin widened as he stood up, clutching the wallet in his hand as he turned around sharply to ready himself for the trip. He had forgotten about the steak he had dropped on the ground as he stepped on it with a sickening squishing sound. He was once again staring at the ceiling before he was flat on his back, his entire body stiffening at the pain ringing throughout every bone and muscle.

Once his ears stopped ringing, maybe he'd be able to get up and prepare for the trip. That is, if he hadn't already given himself a concussion.

* * *

Omi and Clay nearly fell into the temple as the door was yanked open by a frustrated Kimiko, followed by a wary Raimundo as they both stepped over the two boys.

"Kim, I... I didn't mean... Well, you know, it was your fault too--"

"Shut it, Rai." Kimiko snapped as she rubbed her temples, plopping herself in the shade beneath the tree.

"Sorry." He stopped a few feet short from her place as he shove his hands into his pockets.

Omi's legs were kicking up frantically as Clay took his time sitting up, slowly releasing the smaller boy as he dusted off his hat. Omi was gasping for breath and fuming as he pointed at Clay, jumping up and down and red in the face while Clay tried to placate him.

"Look, Rai, I didn't mean to blow up at you like that." Kimiko let out a long sigh as she looked up at him with a grimace, "I'm... just really upset."

"It was only a few pictures and some money. I mean, you have those pictures saved somewhere on your laptop or something right?" Raimundo said thoughtfully, but Kimiko shook her head.

"No, those pictures were special. I could make new copies, but the ones in my wallet had a message on it written by her. She'll be pretty upset if she realizes I lost them and the gift she gave me." Kimiko moaned as she dragged her hands over her face.

"Then don't tell her." He told her simply as Omi and Clay cautiously made their way over, taking it as a good sign that they were not having another shouting match.

"She's going to find out. I've had that wallet for a while and she's going to notice it's missing when I don't use it back home."

"Then just buy a replacement one and print new pictures, forge her message and bam! She won't know the difference!"

"I can't forge her handwriting!" Kimiko's frown deepened. "And I don't want to anyway."

"Then I'll do it, just show me some sample writing!" Raimundo snapped, becoming impatient as Kimiko continued to shoot down his ideas. "When were you such a goody-goody?"

"I'm not a goody-goody and I don't have any sample of her writing! The only piece of writing I had from her was on those pictures. The rest of her messages are by phone or email."

"That doesn't sound like a good idea, Rai." Clay added as he adjusted his hat. "I doubt you could replicate a girl's handwriting anyway."

"What? Is that a challenge?"

"I would think that it is a good thing that you are unable to write like a girl, Raimundo. Would it not be strange if you do write femininely?" Omi questioned as he tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps you will be telling us you know how to be made up as well?"

"It's putting on make-up Omi." Kimiko corrected him.

"Yes, that too."

"I wouldn't be surprised with Jack Spicer and all." Clay commented. He continued on thoughtfully, "Don't circus' have clowns? They put on make-up too, don't they?"

Raimundo felt a tick starting at his right eye, forcing out a smile as he retorted to Clay, "The sure do, Clay. I bet you know a lot of about that too with your rodeo clowns, had a lot of practice doing that, didn't you?"

"What're you trying to say?" Clay frowned.

"What do you think I'm trying to say?" Raimundo retorted.

"Hey, if you guys are going to fight, go over there and fight. I'm getting a headache." Kimiko moaned as she shut her eyes tightly.

"If Raimundo is to replicate the writing of a girl we should use Kimiko's scrolls as a reference." Omi told them excitedly and he rushed out of the courtyard.

"Scrolls? What are you talking about--" Raimundo and Clay blinked, then a grin formed on their lips as they headed off after Omi.

"What? My scrolls? I don't have any--" Kimiko broke off as her eyes widened, "My diary!"

Master Fung watched as Kimiko tore off after them, Dojo curling about his shoulders as he let out a sigh.

"They're good kids, er, fundamentally. They're pretty good kids."

"Indeed." Master Fung agreed as he let a smile work its way on his face as Omi and the others reappeared. Their shouts and laughter echoed as they danced around the courtyard.

It seemed that, for even a short while, they were nothing more than simple teenagers having fun rather than the four chosen warriors with the fate of the world resting on their shoulders.

* * *

Keiko Nagatsuka was dragging her feet as she shivered in the cold of the late afternoon breeze in Tokyo, Japan. Her eyes darted to the pocket of her skirt as she fingered the accessory sticking out just beneath the edge of her coat. Autumn was fast changing to winter as the winds were getting colder, making her teeth chatter and her arms tighten around herself.

Keiko was caught between two choices. She could either walk faster to get home and increase the chill on her already frozen skin, or keep at an even pace but lengthen her time in the cold. Either way it seemed the results would be the same and she was already dead on her feet from cram school and two transfers at the train stations.

She decided to take a rest as she spotted a stone wall. She took out her cell phone as she seated herself, fixing her skirt as she flipped open her phone. The time was illuminated boldly on the LCD screen.

18:37.

If she was lucky, she'd get home by seven (nineteen hundred hours) in time to make dinner, finish her homework, take a shower, into bed and ready for another day of school. She wasn't in a hurry, but the sun was going down fast and she was a lone school girl on her own in a big city. It didn't sit well with her to linger by herself on the streets with only the street lights to guide her way back home.

With a sigh she pushed herself off the wall and looked at her phone one last time. She slowly began to make her way down the street as she checked her phone for any new messages or missed calls.

There was nothing.

Keiko tried to stop herself from frowning as she licked her dry lips, dialing the numbers she knew by heart and raising it to her ear. Instead of the voice she was hoping to hear, an automated message answered her call in Japanese.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but the number you have dialed is no longer in service--"

Keiko snapped her phone in frustration as she started on her way home with renewed energy, shoving the cell phone into her skirt pocket.

She never heard the soft whirling of blades, similar to that of a helicopter, nor did she see the silhouette of a figure that flew overhead with hair that matched the colors that painted the sky as the sun continued to sink down.

The moment Keiko chose to glance back, all she could see was the last rays of the sun hitting the tall skyscrapers that cluttered around the streets and she could only hear the roar of the cars rushing by as well as the clanking of the trains running along the tracks as the street lights shuddered and flickered high above.

* * *

_Tsuzuku (To Be Continued... )_


	2. Thief in the Night

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

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**Thief In The Night**

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"Tadaima..." Keiko called out into the empty apartment as she took off her shoes and sighed at the warmth emitting from the hallway. The door automatically shut behind her as she stepped into the living room. It was out of habit that she called out the phrase to mean 'I'm home,' but she never really expected anyone to answer her. However, she failed to notice the light coming from the hallway leading toward the bedroom she shared with her cousin.

A door slammed shut within the apartment that nearly sent Keiko jumping out of her skin. She whirled towards the source of the noise only to see a young woman with a armful of folders, her eyes moving rapidly from side to side as she read the contents of the paper in her hand.

"Hi..." Keiko managed to squeak just as the woman passed her and headed towards the dining table, dropping the folders and grabbing the briefcase on the chair closest to her.

The young woman was Keiko's cousin just in her early-twenties. Her name was Karen and she was one of the youngest assistants to work for the major electronics and gaming corporation, headed by Keiko's best friend's father, Toshirou Tohomiko. She didn't know much about Karen except that one day she was just dropped into their lives and she rarely spoke to anyone because she was so busy with work. It was somewhat ironic that Karen had been living there with Keiko and her mother for years now, but they had barely spoken to each other since the moment they met.

"How was work?" Keiko inquired, picking up her bag that she had dropped earlier in her surprise. There was no response, but Keiko didn't seem to mind as she pressed on. "I didn't expect to see you home, you're usually away like mama. I was at cram school today and we went a little over time."

The older girl gave no indication if she had heard the other girl or not as she continued to shuffle through her papers and file them into her briefcase.

Keiko went on.

"We haven't talked much, how are you? Busy as always I see." Keiko shrugged off her coat and hung it near the doorway on the coat rack. "Kimiko hasn't called me for a while, you know, your boss' daughter? She went away on some foreign exchange program? I heard she fights a lot so I guess they get self-defense training and she gets to stay in China. I'm a little--"

"What time is it?"

Keiko was thrown off by the abrupt and simple question that she could only stare at her cousin in surprise. "Um..."

Not one to be kept waiting, Karen reached into her briefcase and pulled out her cell phone. She placed it back in, straightening a few folders before turning to Keiko sharply. The younger girl jumped, clutching her bag tightly. "Take this to the main building, my office is on the twenty-first floor, it shouldn't be too hard to find."

Keiko slowly reached out to take the folder, nearly dropping it when Karen released it the moment it brushed against her fingers. She scrambled to keep the papers from tumbling onto the floor, dropping her bag once more in the process. "Wha--but... I..."

"Office hours will close at ten." Karen stated as she snapped her briefcase shut, heading towards the door.

"Wa... wait!" Keiko gasped as she slammed the folder onto the table, staring at her cousin in disbelief. "That's an hours drive from here, just by car! Taking the train could take twice as long! I haven't eaten dinner, there's homework I've got to do and--"

Keiko yelped as coin purse was thrown at her, ducking as it landed onto the table and slid all the way down before stopping at the edge. She looked over at the coin purse and then back at her cousin, who was now slipping on her high heels.

"Then I suggest you go now."

Keiko flinched as the door slammed shut, the silence that filled the room pressing on her ears as a scream of frustration began to form in her throat. Keiko glanced at the clock.

**19:22**.

Keiko, overflowing with thoughts of bitterness towards her cousin, grabbed the coin purse, the folder and her bag as she marched to the door, shoving on her shoes before she yanked open the door and let it slam shut behind her.

Two minutes later she reopened the door and rushed to her room to change into something warmer.

* * *

It had taken Jack three hours to get to Tokyo, but considering that most commercial planes from America would take at least ten hours to complete the trip, he had gotten there relatively quickly. In that time Jack had set his jet on auto-pilot as he tapped away at his keyboard, coming up with a plan that might help to get the xiaolin warriors out of the picture, at least temporarily. He had also found out that the Tohomiko corporation did have a few off-the-market items that were hid away in the main office, his destination.

Jack was a little alarmed as he realized it was nearly night, causing him to hesitate in his next move as he arrived in the bay of Yokohama. He flew closer towards the city lights, shivering at the cold that was seeping in through his jet. He debated whether to land on the rooftop, or somewhere nearby in the shadows. He wasn't in the mood (or in any shape) to pull off one of his usual flashy entrances. In the end he opted to landing in the most clustered area of bushes in the park nearest to the Tohomiko building, but it would still take him a good ten minutes to get there even when using his heli-bot.

Jack carelessly opened the hatch of his jet and moved to jump out, hitting his head on a branch in the process and nearly tumbling out of the cockpit in the process. Luckily, no one was around to hear his cry of pain or see him stumble out of the bushes. He was lifted up into the air with his heli-bot, once again forgetting about the vegetation above his head and sending a shower of leaves and twigs onto the ground below. He spit out a few that managed to get caught in his mouth, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

He flew over the busy streets as the sun was setting, going unnoticed as he rose high into the air, over rooftops and honing in on his destination. When he was close enough to the building, he dropped down into an alleyway across of the towering skyscraper, whipping out his laptop, fingers dancing across the keyboard.

There was a soft pinging noise causing a grin to snake it's way across his face. He snapped the laptop shut and put it into his pack, cracking his knuckles as he gave the building before him a once over.

Darkness came quickly just as the street lamps flickered to life, the roaring of the cars rushing by drowning out the whirling of Jacks heli-bot.

* * *

"These are the _Binding Links_." Master Fung began as he held out the new Shen Gong Wu out to the young monks in training. It looked like two bracelets linked together, but upon closer inspection the two bracelets were thick and could be separated in three different colors, gold, silver and black. The black stood out in the middle of the other two colors. Kimiko wrinkled her nose at the object.

"Not much for a fashion accessory."

"Do you actually see some of the stuff you wear--Oof." Raimundo doubled over as Kimiko removed her fist from his abdomen, turning her nose up.

"These aren't mere accessories," Master Fung told them as he separated the two bracelets, holding one in each hand. "This Shen Gong Wu can be used to link you to anyone, enemy or ally alike."

"But Master, would it not be difficult to fight if you were stuck to your enemy or allies during a battle?" Omi questioned as he reached over to take one of the bracelets.

Master Fung closed his hands around the bracelets and pulled it out of Omi's reach, "Yes, it would be difficult, but in certain cases it can be helpful. However, this Shen Gong Wu is more complicated than merely binding others to you physically. It is able to activate on three levels."

"Three?" All of them repeated in surprise.

"For now, you are only allowed to use it at the first level. The other two requires much concentration and power. At present it would be too dangerous for any of you to attempt using it during a battle."

"Shoot Master Fung, we've handled hairy enough situations in the past, ain't nothing we can't handle." Clay assured as the others looked over at him in agreement. However, Master Fung shook his head, linking the bracelets back together.

"I'm sorry, young monks, but it would be best to leave this Shen Gong Wu as a last resort. I am proud of your latest victory, but it is time to finish your chores and continue our training for this afternoon. Until then," Master Fung headed towards the vault, the bracelets clanking away in his hands.

"I don't believe this!" Raimundo groaned as he flopped down onto his back, staring up at the sky.

"Now Raimundo, as a shoku warrior you of all people should understand Master Fung's reasoning. You must give us a positive example to follow and respect the Master's wishes. He--"

"Oh put a sock in it Omi, you don't have to play the goody-goody act all the time." Raimundo spat as he sat up, working the kinks out of his shoulder.

Kimiko sent a sharp kick to Raimundo's side when Omi looked crestfallen. "Omi's right, Master Fung has his reasons. He always does."

"But I have to agree with Rai here, I figured Master Fung would have more faith in our abilities and whatnot." Clay put in, running his fingers along the rim of his hat.

"Who says he doesn't have faith in you guys?" A new voice questioned from above them.

"Dojo!" They all shouted in surprise as they looked up tot see the serpent-like dragon lounging in a tree branch above them.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." Dojo dropped down onto Clay's hat, pushing it over the cowboy's eyes. "Relax guys, it's not a matter of life or death if you don't know all three stages of those bracelets right now."

"On the contrary, Dojo. In a Xiaolin showdown it is crucial to know every detail about your choice of--" Omi began but Dojo cut in quickly, waving his tiny arms around rapidly.

"All right, all right. What I meant was, you guys won't be needing it right now and Master Fung's right, you need a lot of concentration in order to handle the other levels of that Wu."

"What _are_ the other levels, Dojo?" Kimiko asked.

"Well, that's... you see..." Dojo floundered about. There was a period of silence before Dojo shouted out, flustered, "Are you trying to disobey Master Fung again?"

"You don't know, do you?" Kimiko asked, even though they all knew the answer to that.

"It's been 1500 years, sheesh. And I didn't _forget_, I just... had a brain fart."

"Your brain can emit gas?" Omi's eyes widened as he touched his head worriedly.

"There's no need to worry about it now, just save up your energy for the next active Shen Gong Wu--Uuu!" Dojo twitched,tensing up as his scales began to tingle.

"What is it, Dojo?" Omi gasped fearfully, taking a step back. "Is your brain about to emit more gas?"

"No!" The small dragon snapped as he began to scratch at his sides vigorously. "A Shen Gong Wu just went active."

* * *

Keiko wasn't one to complain, but today was an exception. She had gone an extra hour in intensive studies during cram school and missed her usual train because of it which resulted it taking one that took twice as long as her usual ride. To top it off Kimiko had not called her for the past few days and when she finally got home to see one of her relatives, they kick her out into the freezing cold to run down to the office just to drop up some manilla folder.

"No 'Hi Keiko, long time no see,' or even 'good evening, pretty cold out there isn't it?' or any kind of greeting at all. Barely acknowledges my existence, sends me off without a care about all the _weirdos_ out there who could want a piece of little ol' me and rushes off _to only God knows where_..." Keiko nearly shouted the last part on the nearly empty train cart she rode in. Even if there were some strange people lurking about, she doubted anyone would want to get close to her as she was ranting out loud, making _her_ look like one of those supposed 'weirdos.'

"Next time I'll tell her what she can do with her--" Keiko was cut off in mid-rant as the train halted abruptly, making her hit her head against the metal pole of the seat. She hissed as she clutched the small bump beginning to form at her temple, stumbling to her feet when she realized that this was her stop. She was so caught up in her anger that she had missed the warning announcements.

Keiko shivered as she stepped out of the train, jumping as the doors shut behind her and began to move along the tracks once again. There was a thinning crowd still lingering in the station which helped ease her growing nervousness, as long as she wasn't the only person out, it wouldn't be so bad.

Even at night she had to be careful of where she stepped as people were in a hurry to buy their tickets and get home. Keiko jumped up the steps, nearly two at a time as she ascended up into the busy streets of the heart of Tokyo. She clutched her messenger bag tightly to her side as she started at a brisk walk in the direction of the Tohomiko building. The cars were roaring by and there was the sound of drunken laughter drifting from the nearby bars, nearly filled to capacity at this time of night.

Keiko checked her cell phone and bit her lip. She quickly stuffed it into her jeans pocket and broke out into a run. It was already ten minutes before ten. She would have taken a cab, but that would have been much too expensive and it was hard enough to flag one down during the day, being as small as she was. It would have been a downright miracle if they could even see her this late at night. She took the train instead, but in her rush to get the job done, she had taken the wrong one and had to transfer at least three times in order to get back on the right line.

"This is not my day," Keiko panted as she barely made it passed the first block, her head already spinning. "Ooh for the love of... I can't be that out of shape!"

Keiko's anger and desperation fueled her energy for the next several blocks. She could barely see straight by the time she arrived in front of the building, almost missing it in her mad dash to get there. Keiko felt dizzy as the cold began to penetrate through her coat, the sweat making it worse as she stumbled towards the main doors. She grabbed one handle.

Keiko yelped, pulling her hand, nursing it against her chest as a tingle ran throughout her whole body. Her eyes were wide as they stayed fixed on the door, confusion and surprise showing on her face.

"Static shock?" Keiko laughed weakly, shaking her hand, even though her whole body felt like it was on edge. She slowly reached her hand towards the door, hovering over the handle. She grit her teeth and grabbed the handle.

She nearly pulled her arm out of its socket this time.

Keiko bit her lip to muffle a cry of frustration struggling to escape as she grabbed her cell phone. It was one minute after ten.

"Oh come on! You can't be that exact!" Keiko cried out, turning away to stomp at the ground, already forgetting her earlier shock. "There's no way you're going to tell me that I wasted all that money and energy to get down here, just a minute late, to find that this place closes **_exactly_**--"

"Excuse me."

A business man had pulled open the door and walked passed Keiko.

"Sorry. Anyway, I can't believe--" Keiko stopped and stared at the man walking away. "Wait!"

"Hm?" The older man paused in adjusting his coat and looked over at Keiko.

"Can you let me in? I need to drop off something and--"

"The doors are open." With that the man left Keiko with her mouth hanging open.

"Open? Wait!" Keiko tried to call after him. She sighed when he refused to look back and turned to the doors. She examined them for a moment, stepping forward as her hand hovered over the handle hesitantly. She took a deep breath and pushed this time.

The door swung open easily.

"Haha... ha..." Keiko felt her face heat up as she stepped in, glancing around the dimly lit lobby. An amused looking woman sat at the counter, arching an eyebrow. From the briefcase the woman was holding and the keys in her hands, Keiko guessed that the woman was about to leave. Keiko wondered if she was heating up enough to melt right through the floor at that moment. "I'm just going to drop something off..."

"Hold on, I need some ID first."

Keiko twitched. "ID... as in, ID of someone who works here... ?"

"Yes." The woman replied shortly, eyes narrowing.

Flustered and fearing the worst, Keiko fiddled with her bag. "I have this folder..."

Keiko handed it to the woman, nearly spilling out its contents in her haste to give it to her. The woman took it gracefully, flipping through it. With each page her eyes began to widen and within a few seconds she snapped it shut. She gave Keiko a calculating look.

"Who are you?" The woman asked sharply.

"Nagatsuka Keiko." Keiko nearly stuttered, taking all her will power to keep herself from taking a step back. "My cousin, she works here, you know--"

"Ah. Nagatsuka Karen. All right, you may go, but be quick. Security will still be here."

"Thank you." Keiko said quickly as she grabbed the folder and hurried over to the elevator, hitting the up arrow. She heard the sound of the woman's high heels clicking against the linoleum before there was the cacophony of noises from outside as she heard the door open. A few moments later the noises were cut off, leaving Keiko alone in the suffocating silence of the dimly lit lobby.

Unable to bear it, Keiko rushed over to the steps and began climbing up quickly. It wasn't until she was on the fourth floor that she realized her mistake, looking down at what little light that showed through the slightly open doorway and then up at what seemed like miles of stairs to go. Keiko felt an uneasy chill work its way up her spine as she realized this reminded her of a scene from a horror movie she had seen before and hastened her pace. She regretted watching all those horror movies and regretted not asking the woman to call for a security escort or simply refusing her cousin to save herself from this entire mess..

"I could have been taking a nice hot bath, eating a nice hot dinner, reading some book..." Keiko whispered aloud, licking her lips as she shivered at the way her voice echoed throughout the stairway, almost a harsh sound.

_There's nothing to be scared of. There's nothing to be scared of... _Keiko told herself, repeating it like a mantra as she was almost at her destination. Her sneakers banging against the metal steps echoed loudly, pounding on her ear drums and running her adrenaline as she lunged for the door on the twenty-first floor, yanked it open, threw herself out into the hallway and with all her body weight she pushed against the door and shut it as quickly as possible.

It shut, after some effort, soundlessly.

_See, that wasn't so bad--_

There was the sound of footsteps as well as a door shutting.

Keiko jumped, looking around wildly. There wasn't a single light on.

_I-It's just someone closing up for the night. Just find the office. Remember there's security, maybe they're doing their rounds?_

Keiko wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing tightly as she stepped as quietly as she could across the carpet floors. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see shadows moving. She shut them tightly in response before forcing them open, remembering she had to look for her cousin's office.

_Light switch, light switch... There! _Keiko turned on the lights, nearly sighing with relief as all the shadows faded into nothing. _See, you're over-reacting. _

There was a loud crash followed by a flurry of papers thrown into the air. One landed gracefully at her feet. Keiko bent down to pick it up, rising up slowly as her eyes were fixed on the mess of papers, unable to move as a number of curses met her ears.

"Ow, ow, ow..." A male voice was moaning, the owner of that voice rising up among the mess as he rubbed his head.

Keiko blinked at the shockingly red hair and black attire, viewing the male from the back. Somehow, she doubted this was a worker.

"Damn it, why are the lights on? Security isn't supposed to do their rounds for an hour--" The male turned around, a pair of yellow-lensed goggles on his eyes and a flashlight in his hand. Keiko ducked down before he spotted her and realized he was quite young. He was speaking in English. Keiko could understand him without any trouble, thanks to her early studies.

_A thief?_ Keiko thought as she recalled his reference to security and frowned. _This is the number one gaming and electronics corporation, how could a teenager get in without even breaking a sweat?_

Keiko glanced down the hallway, trying to figure that out when she saw the nameplate on the door at the end of the hallway. Her eyes widened as she recognized the name and her heart pounded with excitement. It was Karen's office!

However, she'd have to pass the thief in order to get to it.

"Okay, they haven't noticed yet. Now what's that code..."

_Somehow_, Keiko thought as she glanced from the desk she hid behind, seeing that his back was turned, _he seems familiar, but I can't remember from where_. She turned to press her back against the wood lightly, taking a soft breath, exhaling soundlessly as she glanced around the desk again at the door. He was busy with something right now, he wouldn't see her if she went...

... Now!

Keiko pushed herself off with one foot and hurried across and over to the next desk. The moment she dropped down behind it the young boy looked over his shoulder. Keiko was covering her mouth as she panted quietly, closing her eyes as she tried to calm the rapid beating of her heart. After a minute, she chanced a look around the desk and saw his back turned once more. She let out the breath she was holding and turned back around.

_Safe._

Now, all she had to do was open the door without making a sound. Keiko slowly crouched over along the hallway, constantly throwing a look back to spy his shadow against the opposite wall. She sighed in relief when he began to go towards the other end of the floor, taking her chance to open the door and close it quickly behind her as quietly as possible.

Keiko opened her messenger bag and pulled out the manilla folder and placed it on the desk. She took a moment to sigh, sitting down in her cousin's desk chair as she decided to take a breather. He was young, but he must have had some talent to get in without being noticed. Even when she was running up the staircase, she could see the gleam of the many camera lens' as they watched her run up the steps on every level.

"Okay, let's try to phone security..." Keiko looked over the immaculately neat desk, reaching for the phone that sat at the right corner. "Security? Police? Who should I call...?" Keiko asked herself quietly as she lifted the phone to her ear, her finger hovering over a button as she trailed off. Carefully, she placed the receiver back and pulled away.

There was no dial tone.

"That's okay, I've got my cell--" The lights went out. "--phone..."

Keiko slowly got up, wincing at the creaking of the chair. She waited for any additional noise, but nothing came. She slowly made her way over to the door, moving away from the glass and pressed her ear against the side of the door. She nearly jumped when a beam of light shot through it, illuminating everything in it's path.

"I can't read any of these symbols!" The thief complained, the light disappearing.

Keiko sighed, placing a hand over her racing heart. _Close one--_

The doorknob rattled, giving Keiko only a moment's notice to back away as it swung open, nearly crushing her against the wall.

"Might as well just check them all." She saw the flashlight shining on the table, his feet moving along the crack of the door.

"Now what do we have here..."

Keiko bit her lip as the door began to swing close, leaving her completely open and vulnerable. All he had to do was turn around and... Keiko looked around wildly for something to use as a weapon.

The thief grabbed the chair she had been sitting in only moments before and sat down, looking over the manilla folder she had just placed there. Keiko watched him, then looked over at the door that was a few inches open. Slowly, she began to creep over to the opening.

He slowly began to open the manilla folder just as Keiko had made it to the opening, slowly squeezing her way through the opening.

It was then that her cell phone rang.

Keiko spun around just as the thief did, shining his light on her. There was a high pitched screaming. Keiko grabbed the door and shut it closed, leaning against it just long enough to stop the ringing before she shot down the hall and into another room, wincing as she slammed it shut. It didn't matter as the screaming continued, drowning out any other noises. Keiko frowned, wondering if she had mistake the thiefs gender, it was dark after all.

"All right, who's out there?" The voice was shaky and a few octaves higher than before, but Keiko was sure that it must have been a guy. A really feminine one, but still a guy. "Sh-show yourself!"

"He's afraid of me?" Keiko whispered aloud, taking out her cell phone and stared at the name that stood out on the brightly lit screen.

**Karen.**

Keiko tightened her grip on the small device, visibly shaking. The very person who had made her come all the way out here had blown her cover and put her in this mess.

"Fine, if you won't show yourself..."

Keiko set her phone to silent as she figured out her next move. He was probably walking around Karen's office and she had passed at least three offices and turned two corners before settling here. If she managed to slip out and find another staircase on the other side of the floor she could slip onto the next floor, call the police--

"Aha!" The door burst open with a beam of light. Keiko gasped, covering her eyes as he aimed the light at her face. "All I had to do was look for your cell phone's signal, pretty easy. Didn't expect a little girl to be up here--"

_Little girl?_ Keiko had to bite her tongue to keep from retorting in English, instead an idea had come to her. Play the fool...

"_Hi, I was just dropping off something for my cousin_." Keiko spoke in Japanese, watching his reaction carefully. She smiled when her suspicions were confirmed, he couldn't understand a word of what she was saying. "_Not that I have to tell you anything_."

"Yeah..." The thief trailed off, blinking as he momentarily forgot where he was. "Right. So, I guess you don't know what I'm saying, do you?"

"_Of course I understand, do you think I'm an idiot? I think you should look in a mirror if you want to find a fool because I'm not the one who screams like a girl and makes such a mess trying to pull a job. I give you credit for the all black outfit, but that hair can get you spotted a mile away_." Keiko gestured to his hair, now grinning at the picture of confusion framed on the young boy's face.

"Yeah." He replied, raising an eyebrow at her expression. Keiko quickly wiped the grin off her face. "Well whether you understand me or not, I can't have you letting anyone know I'm up here, so here's what we're going to do..."

He bent down, causing Keiko to tense. She looked down as she heard the sound of metal and chains along with the feeling of something snap and tighten around her ankles. "_Wait_.."

"There." He stood up and grabbed her by the arm. He pulled Keiko along as she dragged on her heels after him, still in disbelief that he had just cuffed her feet together. "Not exactly flashy, but it gets the job done."

Keiko was then pushed into a nearby chair as he plucked the phone from her hands and placed it into his coat. Keiko opened her mouth to protest, but he had already turn his back on her in search of whatever it was he had come there in the first place.

"I'm probably wasting my time telling you anything, but I've got nothing better to do." He had wandered off to the far end of the floor. Keiko flexed her hands against the arm-rests before she pushed herself up, looking down at the loose chains that gave at least a few inches of slack. Did he really expect that to stop her? "Those handcuffs aren't ordinary, you know? You take too many steps and--"

Keiko had done just that, taking a few small careful steps, not noticing that the chains were reacting to her movement and were pulling together, bringing her feet closer to one another. Keiko yelped as she tried to take another step, misjudging the distance and fell hard on her side. She moaned as the red-headed boy poked his head around the corner, beaming the flashlight onto her fallen form.

"--You'll fall." He stepped over to her just as she was pushing herself back up, crouching down to her eye level. Keiko gave him a dirty look as she braced one hand on the wall and made the slow process of getting back on her feet. He watched her with a grin, standing up with a bag dangling at his side.

"Well, you've been great company, but I've got what I came for."

Keiko finally stood up, staring down at the cuffs as she stood as still as possible, the chain started to slacken once more. She lifted her gaze to glare at him, but her eyes widened as they focused on something behind him.

"Well, well..." A voice purred, causing the thief to stiffen, his face twisting in an expression of exasperation and mild disgust. "What do we have here?"

* * *

Another active Shen Gong Wu? Another thief or perhaps someone to the rescue? 


	3. Cat Got Your Tongue

**AN:** I'm sorry, I made an earlier mistake in my author's note on the prologue, a really _big _mistake. I said _'**hopefully Keiko does turn out to be a mary sue,**' _Of course, I meant to say that I hope she **_doesn't_ **turn into a mary sue. That would be just awful. I'll try to fix that later, but I post these early in the morning and I only check it one or two times to make sure I hadn't made any errors, but I am really tired at that point. Sorry if I've tweaked a few things to fit the story, just bear with me.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown or Batman (referring to small insult Keiko makes to Katnappe).

* * *

**Cat Got Your Tongue**

**

* * *

**

A woman stood on outcrop overlooking a small village in the country side, her hands on her hips as her long red hair billowed around her. Her emerald green eyes were narrowed in disdain as she took in every inch of the peaceful scenery before her. She sneered at the people going about their daily, pathetic lives. She lifted one hand, flexing her fingers as she clenched it into a fist.

There was a sudden rush of wind from behind her. The tree nearby rustled. Wuya glanced out of the corner of her eye as she took in the appearance of the dark colored Ying-Ying bird that sat on the branches, carrying it's only passenger.

"Hannibal Roy Bean. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Wuya tossed out sarcastically as she turned around.

"Just business, as usual." The birds feathers told her as a small object jumped out onto the bird's head. "I've been doing some research now and I've discovered something very interesting. I have a proposition for you."

"Whoop dee do." Wuya replied in monotone, raising one hand to twirl her finger in the air.

"Now, now. There's a major benefit for you. With this plan you could very well be able to gather all the Shen Gong Wu and return to full power."

That had caught Wuya's interest. "How?"

"It's more of a question of _when_ rather than _how_ right now." Hannibal corrected her. Wuya stepped forward, tapping her fingers against her hip in impatience.

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you ever heard of the term 'hollow'?"

"Yes..." Wuya said slowly. "I've insulted Jack with that word several times, usually when referring to his intelligence or there lack of."

"Yes, there is that." The small bean grinned. "But not the _hollow_ I'm referring to. This hollow is a weapon or a tool that can be used, but they're considered unstable and unsuited for any sort of usage, especially in battle being as unreliable as they are. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it's quite valuable."

"An unstable weapon?" Wuya repeated. "And how does that return me to power?"

"If you possess a _hollow_ you could possess an unlimited amount of power. You could possess the power of multiple Shen Gong Wu at once."

"I've never heard of such a tool. Is it a Shen Gong Wu?"

"No, it's nothing like a Shen Gong Wu and after fifteen hundred years in a puzzle box, I'd think you'd miss a few things."

Wuya growled, narrowing her eyes. A moment later a tight smile made its way across her lips as she tossed the small vegetable with a coy look. "So how--_when_ do we find this _hollow_?"

"In due time. I have a feeling it's going to surface out soon. Until then keep an eye out for anything unusual, I'll keep in touch." With that the Ying-Ying bird spread it's wings and took off into the sky.

"What?" Wuya called out after him, frowning as she watched the bird fade into the distance. "Anything unusual? What useless advice..."

* * *

"Well, well, if it isn't the Robo-dweeb." A young woman sashayed her hips as she stepped into the moonlight streaming through one of the nearby windows. Blonde hair poked out through the top of her cat suit, complete with cat ears, metal claws and a tail. She brought one arm up to her mouth, letting her tongue stroke over the skin tight suit over her wrist. Red painted lips pulled back into a smile.

The red-head turned around sharply, brandishing a fist in her face. "What the hell are you doing here _Ashley_?"

The last part was spoken with venom. The young woman, Ashley, merely shoved him face first into the nearest desk with one hand.

"Just doing a little... shopping. Five finger discount, well, since I've got two hands I'd say ten." She purred as she raised one of her clawed hands to the light, waving them menacingly in front of Keiko's face. "Who's your little girlfriend?"

_Again with the little..._ Keiko thought. She momentarily forgot about the handcuffs and tried to back away from the claws hovering so close to her face, but in her effort she lost her balance. Keiko gasped as she flailed her arms out on either side of her, trying to regain her balance. The girl in the cat suit arched an eyebrow, leaned forward and tapped a claw against Keiko's chest very lightly. Keiko let out a short yelp as she landed on her rear end.

"Ita-ta-ta..." Keiko whimpered, raising herself up on her elbows and she looked up at the blonde girl, finding her grinning and revealing her sharpened fangs.

"Aw, poor baby." She made a mocking expression of sympathy as she put her hands on her knees and bent down. "Need some help getting up?"

"No, but thanks for the concern, you overgrown fur-ball." Keiko replied in Japanese with a tight smile. "Shouldn't you be playing in your litter box?"

"Huh." The blonde haired girl straightened up, glancing at the handcuffs on Keiko's ankles and then over at Jack. "You actually got someone with your useless junk, but she is just a little girl..."

_Little... Little... _ That was all Keiko could take. It comparison to her many classmates, Kimiko included, she was not _little_. In Japan, she was at an average height and she most certainly did not resemble some primary school student.

... Right?

"At least I'm not confused about what species I belong to." Keiko snapped as she grabbed the desk and pulled herself onto her feet.

"Oh-ho." The blonde thief looked mildly surprised by Keiko's outburst.

"You speak English?" The earlier thief cried out in surprise, eyes wide. They quickly narrowed as he took a step forward, causing the other thief to stumble away. "You were trying to play me earlier?"

"I'm sorry, I can't understand English." Keiko squeaked out, her face heating up at the look of disbelief on the boy's face and the look of utter amusement on the girl's.

_Good job, Keiko_, she thought to herself sarcastically as she backed away from the angry boy. _Get the thieves angry, screw yourself over and watch them take off with the stolen goods. You're quite the genius, aren't you?_

"Watch it, doofus." The blonde girl spoke up as she shoved the other thief into the wall, hard. Keiko thought the entire floor seemed to shake from the impact and winced in sympathy. As he slid to the floor, the girl thief grabbed the black bag from his hands, eyeing it with interest. "Now, let's see what you're up to."

"Oh, how thoughtful of you, Jack." Ashley purred as she pulled out the items from the bag. "You did all my shopping for me, how sweet."

"Hey," He struggled up onto his feet, his voice weak. "Don't even think about--"

"Think about--this?" She dropped down and spun her leg out, knocking Jack onto his back. She stepped over the moaning boy as she dropped the items back in the bag and dangled it over his head. "I'd never dream of doing such a thing."

"Ashley--" He was cut off as a foot was slammed into his stomach, ending on a gasp as he curled on his side.

"The name's Katnappé, geek. Get it straight or next time I'll use you as a scratching post." The blonde thief growled as she flexed her claws, tapping them together. Then she turned to Keiko sharply, pointing at her with one claw. "And as for you..."

Keiko froze, having made her way along the wall at an agonizingly slow pace in order to get to the door leading to the staircase. Keiko tried to look nonchalant as she looked around the office, humming a made up tune. She pretended to just notice Katnappé pointing at her and looked to her left and then her right before she pointed at herself, responding in Japanese, "Me?"

"Nice try," Katnappé sneered as she made her way over to Keiko in a single bound, landing just inches away from the other girl. "Now, normally I wouldn't even bother with someone like you, but..."

_But? But? Why is there always a but?_ Keiko asked as she turned her gaze up at the ceiling in exasperation, then back at the cat thief before her.

"--you've heard and seen just a little too much. I'm not one for killing anyone, too messy--"

_Good, _Keiko mentally sighed.

"But, hey, a drop from the twentieth floor should take care of that for me, shouldn't it?" Katnappé grinned, her canines shining in the moonlight.

"Twenty-first." Keiko corrected, wincing at her big mouth as she glanced over at the windows on the far side of the room.

The blonde girls' smile faltered, confusion filling her features before a scowl made its way onto her face. "Whatever!"

"I'm as ready for my demise as you are, but is it all right for you to keep your back turned like that?" Keiko smiled nervously as she stepped to the side, away from Katnappé.

The blonde girl frowned, "What are you talking about--"

Katnappé grunted when a double kick caught her from behind, sending her down the hall and right through the place Keiko had been standing in moments before. The bag dropped to the ground as Katnappé was forced to release it, making cat-like noises as she tumbled all the way into the office at the end of the hall. Jack stood shakily on his feet, glaring at the cat thief as he stuck out his tongue.

"That's right, you don't go messing with Jack Spicer, boy genius--uh oh." Jack cut himself as he saw two fiery eyes gleaming from the darkness, a menacing growl filling the hallway. He bent down, grabbing the bag and felt a sharp gust of wind blow over his back, a few of his hairs drifting into his vision. He whimpered as he clutched the bag to his chest and jumped over the desk and tumbled behind the one next to it.

Momentarily forgotten, Keiko crouched down, keeping an ear out for the tussle as she weighed her options. The first thief was less of a threat and he served as a good distraction for the crazy girl who wanted to kill her. The stolen items were a lesser priority as her life was, somewhat, on the line. The girl was young, at least Keiko's age so it could just be a bluff to scare her, but she wasn't about to take that risk.

A reflection of light caught her eye as Keiko looked up into the corner, seeing a red light in the darkness. Keiko scowled up at the security and waved her hands above her head briefly, pointing at her handcuffed feet and discreetly pointing over at the small game of cat and mouse occurring just a few feet away. The camera stared at her lifelessly and Keiko was tempted to do an inappropriate hand gesture. How could security not be rushing up here? Shouldn't the major corporation of gaming and technology have the highest quality of security?

Keiko was left to quietly mull over her current situation as Katnappé called out to her little mouse, "Oh Jack, come out and play so I can do to you what all cats do with mice. Torture you until you're within an inch of your life and _bite off your head_..."

"I think I'll pass..." Jack called out from beneath the desk, peeking out to glance at both ways before crawling to a new location.

"Oh, you're no fun." Katnappé slashed at a desk before her. At first it did not move, but soon there was a loud creaking before it fell away into four neatly cut pieces, crashing onto the carpet. "What, no stupid robots to scrap? Losing your touch, don't you think, Jack? Handcuffs are pretty desperate, even for a techno-dweeb like you..."

Keiko's eyes widened at the mess Katnappé left behind, leaning against the wall as she watched the thief jump up onto one of the remaining desks. The claws glimmered in the light of the moon showing through the window. Keiko's eyes immediately caught sight of them, a plan forming in her mind. She smiled as she started to push herself away from the wall.

"You think so? I have a pair for you too, it'd match your look..." Jack called out, turning sharply as he felt a presence nearby, but he could barely see anything from his angle on the floor. He turned back around, screaming when he saw Katnappé standing in his path, her hands on her hips.

"Rather not take fashion advice from a drag queen."

"Drag queen--Hey!" Jack growled as he stood up, glaring at her.

"You two don't get along, do you?"

Both criminals looked sharply at the sound of Keiko's voice, remembering the audience they had.

"I wonder what gave you that idea?" Jack shot out sarcastically. "Listen, stay out of this little girl and you won't get hurt."

"Oh, I beg to differ..." Katnappé interjected as she turned to Jack, glancing at the bag in his hand briefly. "Now, hand that over--"

_Ignoring me... _Keiko thought as her hands were already clenching at another reference of her being a little girl. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she listened to their verbal sparring. She opened them and tried again.

"I thought you guys might be some sort of criminal duo, partners in crime," Keiko paused, then grinned, "Or even more than just partners."

"Me and this weirdo? I don't think so." Katnappé pulled a face at the very idea, leaping up onto the desk in order to put some distance between her and Jack.

"Get real! As if I want to waste my time with that evil diva." Jack responded at the same time as Katnappé, sticking out his tongue at her childishly. Katnappé hissed in response, clawing at the air causing Jack to yelp and take a jump back, hitting the desk behind him and ending up sprawled out onto its surface.

"Really? I think I detect a hint of passion under all that fighting," Keiko taunted, her eyes never leaving the blonde thief.

Katnappé stiffened, slowly turning her gaze from the red-headed boy groaning on the desk and slowly turned her narrowed gaze on Keiko.

"What?" There was a hint of steel in her voice. Keiko heard the warning loud and clear, but she forced out a nervous smile as her hands tightened into the material of her jacket that hung over the pockets of her jeans.

"The way that I see it the more the couple fights," Keiko licked her lips, faltering at the growling that seemed to be emitting from the cat thief. "The stronger their passion for one another. Seeing how much banter goes on between you two and how hard you play, I can just feel the tension in the air. Hard love, is it?"

"No!" Katnappé cried out in outrage, unable to stop herself from giving Jack a look of poorly concealed disgust. "No way! No, no, no!"

"No!" Jack struggled to get to the floor, looking embarrassed by the suggestions as a blush worked it's way on his pale skin. However, after hearing Katnappé fervent protests, he turned to her to scowl at the same moment she looked over at him, gritting his teeth as he added, "I'd rather have my tongue cut out."

Katnappé's gaze turned to that of anger as she jumped over to his desk, ignoring his yelp of surprise as she grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and held her claws within an inch of his face. "That I can do."

"I can see how he'd be so turned off by you," Keiko interrupted quickly, nearly taking a step forward. Both of them turned to look at her, Jack dangling from Katnappé's claws as she continued to wave them menacingly above his face. "That tacky outfit, talk about a disaster."

Jack grunted as his head banged against the surface of the wood having been released from the blonde girl's death grip. He rubbed the back of his head, leaning on his side as he glanced up at her to make an angry comment, but the words died in his throat as he saw the visible tick starting at the corner of her left eye.

"_Tacky_?" She repeated, completely ignoring the boy beneath her.

"Shouldn't you be out chasing some bats? I think you missed Gotham City by a few continents." Keiko continued, eyeing Katnappé as she gave her the once over before raising her hands up with a shrug. "No wonder he'd want to drop you. I think anyone would be embarrassed to be associated with a girl who thinks she has nine lives to spare--"

Had Keiko opened her eyes a moment later she would have ended up with some very serious damaged inflicted upon her. She didn't even have time to scream as she used her arms to block the oncoming attack. Claws nipped across her right arm and barely missed her face as Katnappé's body collided with her own. Keiko's adrenaline was running high as she rolled Katnappé off of her and rolled over her to get away, turning onto her back as the angry blonde turned her head to look at her sharply, striking out at the Japanese girl.

The floor beneath her claws groaned and cracked as she dragged them back, flipping away and back onto her feet. Jack swallowed audibly.

"Hehe... he..." Keiko laughed nervously as her eyes were wide, her legs spread apart. There were four long gashes right between her thighs, cement and carpet strewn up like shredded paper. Keiko raised a shaky hand up to wipe the cold sweat that broke out on her brow, continuing to laugh weakly as she gripped the material of her jacket over her heart as she looked up the length of her legs. "If I were a boy, I'd be a little bit more freaked out."

"I'll give you something to freak about!" Katnappé exclaimed as she made another lunge. Keiko was thankful for the warning as she rolled to the side, just barely making out of the way and jumped onto her feet.

The links were broken by Katnappé's earlier attack and now she was free to move as she pleased.

"Oh, how rude of me. Thanks for setting me free!" Keiko called out as she stumbled along in the darkness for somewhere to hide.

"Hey, why does everything I bring always get ruined?" Jack complained from somewhere on the floor.

There was a female's cry of outrage. Keiko couldn't help but smile. She had nearly gotten herself mangled, but she was alive and her heart was pumping. It was exciting and scary, but her new found freedom gave her a positive outlook. She backed up against something, jumping away when it bumped back against her. She turned around just as Jack turned, both realizing they had bumped into each other.

"You!" They both shouted, then quickly hushed one another. The cat thief was still throwing a fit which drowned out their own shouts, but she was getting closer to where they hid.

"Find your own hiding place!" Jack whispered angrily, still clutching the bag of stolen goods in his hands.

Finding him to be less of a threat when he was cowering behind a desk in the same manner she was, Keiko grabbed the bag from him and made the sign that usually meant victory or peace with one of her hands. "All right!"

"Hey!" He lunged at her, causing Keiko to lose her balance and hit the ground, spilling out the most of the contents of the bag into the moonlight streaming through a nearby window.

"Personal space!" Keiko whispered as she pushed him off with one foot and grabbed what she could with one hand.

Then she yelped, dropping what she had touched, clapping a hand over her mouth when she realized she was the only one breaking the sudden silence that had fallen across the floor.

"So here you are." Katnappé stepped out from the shadows and stood in front of Keiko, her blonde bangs plastered against her forehead and her eyes wild as she reached down to grab the items Keiko had dropped. "Play time is over. _Kibin Band_!"

"What?" Jack scrambled to his feet, watching as Katnappé clutched a red headband in her hands. Realization dawned on him as he could only stare, dumbfounded. "That's a Shen Gong Wu?"

* * *

"Woah!" Dojo yelped as he twisted about in mid-air, earning some screams from his passengers. He quickly righted himself, glancing over at them from the corner of his eye. "Sorry guys."

"What was that?" Raimundo complained, his head still spinning.

"Is something s'matter, Dojo?" Clay asked as he snatched his hat out of the air and placed it back on his head. "You look greener than a rattlesnake hiding in the grass."

"How can you tell? He's always green!" Raimundo said incredulously as he glanced back at Clay. The cowboy shrugged in response.

"I agree. You seem very shaken, Dojo." Omi added as he patted the dragon's back sympathetically.

"Yeah. The Shen Gong Wu I sensed earlier kind of..." The dragon trailed off as he started to descend, circling from above as he looked for a spot to land.

"What, Dojo?" Kimiko prompted. "Is it close?"

"Well..."

Fed up with Dojo's beat-around-the-bush answers, Raimundo shouted at him, "Just spit it out!"

"All right, all right. Keep your pants on." The dragon muttered a few things under his breath as he landed in a park under a lamppost. "I know I sensed it earlier, but all of a sudden it just disappeared."

"Disappeared?" They all cried out, making the small dragon jump.

"What do you mean?"

"Disappear? How?"

"I can't sense it anymore! It just went Bam! Poof! Out of existence! Well, maybe not out of existence, but--" Dojo shook his head, cutting himself off. "The point _is_ that I can't help you in tracking it down, but I can tell you that it was around here somewhere before it just, you know, vanished off my radar."

"Great. Stuck in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night--" Raimundo began, but Kimiko cut in.

"The middle of nowhere? Rai, we're in Tokyo!" Kimiko grinned at them. "Home sweet home, but I wish we could have gotten here when the malls were still open... Well, it can't be that late--"

"Focus, Kimiko!" Omi scolded and Kimiko sighed in response.

"Right, sorry." Kimiko pulled out the scroll, opening it up as the boys crowded around her. "This one is called the _Kibin Band_."

"What does it do?" Omi asked.

"Hm, if my memory serves me right that band can enhance your abilities at least tenfold! Plus, I think it can help you last for days without sleep. Pretty handy." Dojo answered as he watched the animation of the Shen Gong Wu being demonstrated.

"So where do we start?" Clay asked as Kimiko shut the scroll and placed it back in her pack.

"I'm as disappointed as you guys about being unable to track this Wu down, but," Dojo told them as he stretched his scaly arms, a grin working it's way on his face. "I'm glad that, for once, I'm not breaking out into a rash!"

Kimiko took out her PDA to calculate their position. "Okay, this happens to be close to my father's company so I know this area pretty well. Tokyo is a big city and with Dojo out of commission that Shen Gong Wu could be anywhere."

"Great. So what do you suggest?" Raimundo asked as he put on his hood, shivering in the slightest. "And it would have been nice to get a heads up on the weather over here. It's freezing!"

Clay rubbed his gloved hands together, silently agreeing as he was more use to the heat back on his farm in Texas. Kimiko sighed, able to see her breath as she put her electronic device away and glanced at her watch.

"We should split up and meet back here in a couple hours. If you get lost, look to that building," Kimiko pointed to her father's building. It was the tallest skyscraper in the area and read 'Tohomiko' in both English and Japanese in big bold letters down the side facing the park. "If you get there, you'll be able to find your way to the park, or just wait for me to find you, got it?"

"Got it." Clay and Raimundo affirmed as Omi replied with an 'understood,' before they went their separate ways. Kimiko watched as Dojo looked between the three boys leaving in different directions, torn about which way to go, before he slid after Omi, being most protective of him. Kimiko smiled, knowing that Omi could take care of himself, but with Dojo there to keep him on the right path made her breath a little easier. Raimundo and Clay were more than capable of handling themselves, but as she had seemed to show her concern earlier, she hoped they wouldn't get lost.

Kimiko chose to head in the direction of her father's building. It was the feeling of nostalgia that gripped her heart as she felt her feet moving of their own accord. She knew her first priority should be to concentrate on finding the Shen Gong Wu, but as she had said, Tokyo was a big city and after being away so long, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the trip a little.

With every step that brought her closer to the building, she became more excited as she remembered everything she had left behind for the Xiaolin temple. The malls, the vending machines, the food, school, friends, Keiko...

_Keiko! _ Kimiko thought somewhat guiltily as her hand went for her cell phone, only to find her pocket empty. Kimiko's steps faltered as she suddenly remembered the earlier incident that had her so troubled. _I can't even call her..._

It had been a few days since her last call to Keiko, but she knew that her friend understood her situation. Kimiko felt guilty for not telling Keiko the whole story, but it really was too much for someone living in normal society life without any idea that ancient magic really did exist. Being separated so quickly had strained their friendship enough that Kimiko felt that if she started sprouting out about the Shen Gong Wu and possible ten thousand years of darkness, it would have sounded like a big joke to Keiko and increase the distance between them.

It was the fact that Kimiko hadn't tried to contact Keiko at all for the past month that really bothered her. She blamed it on the battles and the pressure of the 'fate of the world' resting on her shoulders, but she still found time to use her laptop and check her e-mails, research, and many other things. She had her PDA that could be used for just about anything, including communication, but Kimiko found herself avoiding her best friend.

Her _best_ friend.

Kimiko stopped, staring out ahead angrily. The laughter coming from the bars and the noise of people chattering away suddenly made her angrier.

_Why?_ Kimiko asked herself, looking up at the sky. Why should she feel so guilty? It was true that she was avoiding talking to Keiko, but the same could be said of the other girl. Kimiko understood the pressures of exams and school as well as Keiko's responsibilities to take on the duties of her household, much like the mother or housewife, but that equaled to the amount of training and battling Kimiko did every day. If she could find time to relax, surely Keiko could have found time to send Kimiko an e-mail. Keiko was just as guilty as she was for not contacting her.

The air felt heavy and Kimiko found it hard to start walking again, but somehow she managed to put one foot in front of the other. It seemed that Keiko realized the distance between them as much as Kimiko did.

* * *

As Clay wandered about the streets of Tokyo, even in the middle of the night he found restaurants still bursting with life, or more precisely drunken business men. He allowed himself to become momentarily side-tracked to inspect the menu's, plastic displays of food and pictures that held his attention. He stood outside of one restaurant, scratching the back of his head as he squinted at the menu in an effort to comprehend it.

"What in tarnation do these symbols mean?" Clay asked aloud as he placed his thumb and fore finger under his chin. "I don't see how Kimiko understands these."

For Clay, some of the dishes looked, interesting as the polite way to describe it, some even looked appetizing, but most were downright puzzling for the Texan boy as he pulled away from the display window and wandered farther into the city, stopping at a vending machine that had an array of different cans. He guessed that they were drinks by some of the pictures of fruits placed on some of the cans near the bottom. He was tempted to try one, but remembered he didn't have the proper currency to use and snapped his fingers in disappointment.

"Not in Kansas anymore, huh?"

Clay jumped, striking into a defensive pose as he was caught off guard. He lowered his hands when he found Raimundo grinning at him from ear to ear, obviously pleased to have surprised the cowboy.

"Knock it off, Rai." Clay paused. "You do remember I'm from Texas, righ'? Not Kansas..."

"What?" Raimundo blinked at him in confusion. His eyes widened at the implication and shook his head, waving his arms, "Wait, no, that's not what I meant..."

"We've been there often enough, I'd figure ya'd remember by now."

"No! I--ah!" Raimundo ran a hand through his hair, eyes tightly shut together. "Man, Clay. Sometimes you can be as bad as Omi.'

"What?"

"Never mind... Anyway, why are you all the way out here? I thought you went the other way." Raimundo dropped his hand and pointed to the direction Clay had just come down.

Clay frowned. "No, that's where I came from. Why are _you _ here? You went that-a-way earlier, didn't you?"

Raimundo followed Clay's gaze towards their left and he could only shrug in response. "I don't know, I've been wandering around for who knows how long and I've got nothing!"

Clay was about to reply when he heard a familiar voice nearby.

"I'm sorry, but I do not wish to fight you. I am on a mission and have no time to waste on meaningless battles."

"Omi?" Raimundo and Clay questioned at once, glancing across the street to find the small monk standing before a swaying man, a crowd beginning to form. They could see Dojo peeking his head out from Omi's robes as he mumbled something in Omi's ear, but it was apparently an insult directed at the drunken man as he gave a shout of rage and charged. Both Clay and Raimundo nearly collided with each other in their rush to get to the young monk, calling out his name out again.

Omi had jumped over the man to avoid the charge, glancing over at them. A grin made it's way on his face as he waved at them. "Hello Raimundo! Hello Clay! Have you any success in finding the Shen Gong Wu?"

"Omi, what are you doing?" Raimundo yelled as he tried to push his way through the crowd. Clay appeared a moment later, easily shoving on-lookers out of the way as they made their way to the inner edge of the circle. "What did you do?"

The drunken man had gotten up, stumbling back to his feet and began swinging at Omi wildly.

"I am trying not to be hit." Omi simply replied as he ducked and dodged the punches being thrown at him. "As for what I did, I had merely told this man that Dojo is not some sort of meal."

"Yeah! He called me an eel!" Dojo shouted, shaking his little arm at the drunken man. The crowd gasped, whispering excitedly as they pointed at Omi. Dojo pulled back into Omi's robes, laughing nervously, "Er... I mean, don't pay any attention to me. I'm just a harmless... dragon..."

"Dojo!" Raimundo and Clay shouted angrily as the whispering turned into shouts, some of the spectators taking out their cell phones to capture Dojo with their camera function. Recognizing the signs that would land them into trouble, Raimundo shouted to Omi.

"Omi! Onto the roof and back to the park, lose the crowd!"

"What? But we have not found--" Omi protested as he landed on the man's outstretched arm.

"Just do it!" Raimundo snapped as he pushed Clay in the direction he guessed was the park, not even bothering to look back as they sprinted down the street and around the corner.

Omi frowned after them, but turned to his opponent. "Excuse me."

With that, Omi leapt onto his head, onto the sign of the restaurant and up onto the rooftop. He listened to the fading sounds of the crowd as he jumped onto the next building and down into an empty alley. Dojo poked his head out as Omi began running along the sidewalk back in the direction that they had come, or at least, the direction he _thought _they had come from.

"No, I think you should have taken that left turn... No, no you're other left!"

Dojo's memory was no better.

* * *

If Katnappé was at all concerned by the fact that she felt no different than from before, even after calling out the Shen Gong Wu's name, she showed no trace of it on her face. She opted to grin as if she had everything under control and meowed right into the face of the Japanese girl.

Keiko yelped, whipping her head around as she scrambled away on her hands and knees, her messenger bag dragging along the carpet. Katnappé had to pull back when something hit her across the face, poking one of her eyes and causing it to water. She yowled in surprise and pain as she placed her hand over her tearing eye, focusing on the girl's retreating back. Her good eye widened at the sight of something swinging across Keiko's back and dragging along the floor.

"How did you know that was a Shen Gong Wu?" Jack directed at Katnappé, standing in her way and obscuring her view of the other girl.

"How could you not realize it, you idiot?" Katnappé shot back as she shoved him aside. "Get out of my way!"

"So what's it do? You don't seem any different." Jack stumbled out of her way, eyeing the band as the blonde girl place it on her head, over her ears and just above her eyes.

Katnappé tensed at his comment and lashed out, not wanting to be told something she already wondered. "Shut up!"

Jack gave a short yelp as he dropped to the ground. Katnappé didn't even bother to give him a glare as she jumped up and off a wall, bounding down the hallway in search of the missing girl.

Keiko had already reached the door to the stairway, the same one she had come up through. She was clutching the straps of her bag tightly as she glanced over her shoulder, then to her other side.

_First I find a thief and get myself handcuffed. Then the cat girl comes, who's obviously crazy shouting out weird things and holding a _headband_ of all things, _Keiko thought as she grabbed the handle of the door and opened it a crack, her hand automatically reaching into her jeans pocket. She gasped and looked down the hall.

_My cell phone!_ Keiko moaned as she patted both pockets and the sides of her jacket, the door slowly shutting on her. _Forget it!_

Keiko was about to pulled the door open wider when there was a hard jerk on her arm. Keiko stumbled and hit the door with her shoulder, wincing at the impact. She tensed when she felt a presence behind her and slowly looked over her shoulder to find Katnappé leaning against the door with her hand above her head. Keiko gave a nervous smile and a quiet laugh. The next moment she was bounding down the hall.

Katnappé expected this and smiled as she merely shot out her hand, grabbing the 'leash' to the Japanese girl and waited for the cry of pain. "I see you have a tail too."

"Ita-ta-ta..." Keiko whimpered for the second time that night as she reached up to the back of her head. _Tail? What tail---_

Keiko took hold of her braid and realized that during the earlier scuffle it must have gotten loose from within her shirt. She slowly looked around at the cat thief fearfully as her eyes widened to see the end of her braid held carefully within the grasp of her sharp claws.

If it was one thing Keiko ever prided herself with, it was her hair. She had never cut it since she was ten and unlike many schools that had a dress code as well as a code for personal appearance, her school made an exception for hair length. It was one of the things she was proud of that set herself apart from other girls in her school, but it was a painstaking task to take care of. Nearly six long years of brushing, conditioning and...

"My, my." Katnappé purred,tugging at her braid lightly while she brought up her other clawed hand close to the strands.

As a girl, Katnappé would understand the trouble Keiko had to go through to grow her hair that long and she would also know just how devastating it would be if she were to _cut_ her hair after Keiko had been so careful to hide it.

Keiko realized this as well as her eyes filled with fear, her heart pumping with adrenaline. Katnappé smiled as she raised her hand. Keiko didn't even dare to shake her head as she took hold of her braid.

Jack chose that moment to appear as he yanked the band from Katnappé's head, nearly taking off her cat ears in the process. Keiko watched her braid fall and breathed a sigh of relief before darting away, listening to the sounds of the blonde girl's cries of outrage and the boy's incessant laughter. She grabbed her braid and stuffed it into the back of her jacket once again, adjusting her collar.

Jack cackled as he clutched the headband in his hand. "All right, let's see what this baby can do. _Kibin Band_!"

Katnappé arrived just in time to see Jack placing the headband on. Keiko peered out from around the corner, shivering at the sound of the name. She still couldn't figure out why they kept shouting that weird phrase while holding that headband, but that was soon pushed out of her mind as Katnappé lunged and knocked Jack onto the ground, trying to claw him in an effort to retrieve the headband.

"Give it back, you idiot!" The girl thief snarled as Jack held onto her wrists, turning his head away to avoid her claws.

"Man, for a girl you're freakishly strong. When does this stupid Shen Gong Wu kick in?" Jack complained as he brought his knees to his chest and kicked Katnappé off of him.

Katnappé was able to land on her feet, brushing a hand over her stomach as she eyed Jack warily. "It's... not working for you either? What is this?"

"Guess you were wrong about this one," Jack taunted as he ripped it off and dropped it on the floor. He recalled a phrase she had used on him earlier and threw it back at her.

"Losing your touch, don't you think, _Katnappé_?"

"Oh shut up!" Katnappé slashed at him again, Jack ducked away at the last second as a few more hairs littered the ground.

"I'm not looking for a haircut, fur-ball!" Jack snapped as he scrambled away, backing into a wall in his hurry to avoid Katnappé's continuous swipes. He yelped in pain when something crashed onto his head, making him see stars. He looked down at the sound of a crack near his feet.

Jack had caused decorative samurai swords to fall from it's case on the wall, the glass case cracking open as the two swords clattered to the floor. Jack picked one up just in time to block Katnappé's strike. She broke through the sheath, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Nice toy, Jack, but that cheap metal doesn't stand a chance against my claws!" Katnappé sneered as she brought her hand back for a powerful strike, sending Jack skidding across the room and slamming against the full length glass window. Jack winced as he heard a crack and measured the damage as he glanced out of the corners of his eyes. He began to sweat at the spider cracks making it's way to the edges of the window from his place of impact and then over at the cracked sword in his trembling hands.

"Maybe we can talk this over? Split everything fifty-fifty?" Jack offered nervously.

"Don't make me laugh, dweeb." Katnappé scoffed as she made a running jump and smashed him right through the window.

* * *

**Additional AN**: Bravo to **unknown **and** krystalmaze** for figuring out the 'mystery' person. I guess I did make it a bit obvious, didn't I? Also, thank you to those two as well as **Egglette**, **Jackie Jackie Spicey**, **Cara the Jack Fan** and **Raikun** for taking the time out to comment my story even though I know it's not the best.

What happened to the Shen Gong Wu? Did Katnappé make a mistake and why can't Dojo sense it anymore? And more importantly, what will become of Jack Spicer?


	4. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**AN**: Again, thank you to all the people who take the time out to read and review my story. Right now I'm getting into the story idea, but even though I have the the whole picture, I'm starting to skimp on the details. The perfect quote to describe my situation would be that one quote Jack says on the **Pandatown** episode. I can't remember it word for word right now, but I'm sure you'll understand if you see or have seen that episode.

Anyway, the next chapter is not flowing as well as I would have hoped. Some parts really make me cringe so it's taking me a while to fix them. I'm really stuck right now. On the other hand, this piece right here was taken from that chapter and I really thought about it and realized that this wasn't _really_ necessary towards the actually plot of the story, but to keep you guys entertained I've decided to make it, sort of an interlude? I apologize for this piece as well, it's really not the best quality work, but I just wanted to get it out of the way and I put a lot of time in it so I didn't feel like trashing it. Anyway, enjoy.

**Summary**: This explains a little bit of what happened in the third chapter when Omi and Dojo got in trouble and also continues on what happens after Omi and Dojo are parted from Clay and Raimundo. As well as on Kimiko trying to find all four of them. Sort of a little break from all the action.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

**One Step Forward, Two Steps Back**

**

* * *

**

"I didn't want to say anything earlier, but I think we passed by that drunk before." Dojo commented nonchalantly as Omi stepped around the business man that had a little too much to drink. "At least _three_ times."

"This is most troubling." Omi said as he stuck his hands into his sleeves. They had no idea where they were and even when it seemed like they were making progress they would wind up back to where they had started. "We are quite fickle."

"What?" Dojo blinked at the young monk, then took a guess, "You mean 'we're in a pickle'?"

"That makes no sense!" Omi frowned. "And how can you think of food a time like this?"

"It's just an--oh never mind," Dojo looked up at the dull sky, very different from the sky they were use to looking at from the Xiaolin temple. With so many city lights, hardly any stars were visible, but the moon seemed to stand out, only half full.

His stomach growled. Omi raised an eyebrow, but soon his own stomach rumbled in response. Dojo grinned.

"Besides, we haven't had dinner yet!"

"Normally, I would agree, but right now our priority is locating the Shen Gong Wu and the others." Omi reminded the small dragon as they continued on.

"And normally _I'd_ agree with you, but we've been at it for hours and we haven't found anything. And what if Jack Spicer appears? Or worse, Chase Young? Can't fight evil on an empty stomach, you know..." Dojo argued as he eyed some shops that were still open and bursting with life. The sounds of dishes being washed, the murmur of conversation and worst of all the scent of the foods being cooked were drifting into the streets and teasing their olfactory senses.

"You make a very good point, Dojo." Omi agreed, his resolve starting to weaken. "That is true, but we don't have time to dally our dillies."

"So let's compromise. Grab something to eat and then continue on our way."

Omi thought about this, shoving his hands into the sleeves of his robe as he stood on the sidewalk. He paced back and forth in front of the restaurant, grating on Dojo's nerves as the aroma of food continued to torture him, his mouth watering and his stomach growling louder than ever.

"Well?" Dojo finally snapped.

"Agreed! We shall grab something to eat and while we are searching we may quiet the rumbling of our stomachs. It will be like capturing two chickens with a single pebble!"

"Killing two birds with one stone." Dojo automatically corrected him, already salivating as they entered the nearest restaurant.

"What?" Omi looked at the dragon in confusion. "I do not wish to kill two birds."

Dojo ignored him as he eyed the menu before them. "Hmm... hmm... I think I'll have... Hmm..."

"Can you read these symbols, Dojo? They make no sense to me." Omi told him as he looked at the menu as well. Omi could read Chinese, but Japanese was very different. In some cases the characters could mean similar things, but depending on the context, it was very confusing. The Japanese used an entirely different writing system with the combination of Kanji, hiragana and katakana while the Chinese only used Kanji. Even when they used some of the same characters, the readings were quite different and sometimes they just didn't make sense if you read it in the wrong context. "Perhaps, we should just find Kimiko first."

"No, no, I got it!" Dojo beamed as he nodded over to the register. "Just tell them this, 'I want one of everything.'"

"Dojo." Omi gave the small dragon a look. "I doubt we will be able to successful search for the Shen Gong Wu if we have one of everything to eat as well!"

"Oh come on, we can handle it." Dojo waved off Omi's concerns as he slid to the front and called out to the cashier. "Excuse me! I'm ready to order."

The cashier blinked in surprise and looked to her left and then to her right. She glanced out at the doorway and saw Omi standing there, he blinked up at her and smiled causing her to smile back. She was about to speak when Omi pointed at the foot of her counter. Puzzled, the cashier placed her hands on the counter and looked over.

"Yeah, hi. So you got any Chinese menus? English?" Dojo shook his head, "Nah, I'll just go with the original plan. One of everything!"

"That is an interesting pet, little boy." The cashier said slowly in Japanese, amazed at the peculiar creature. She pulled back and gave a short laugh. "It's almost like he was talking, you're quite the ventriloquist. I'm sorry, but I can't understa--"

"Hey!" Dojo had managed to climb up onto the counter. "I don't see you writing any of this down--"

The cashier jumped away and screamed. The entire restaurant went silent as every person turned to look at the screaming woman. Immediately, they spotted Dojo and listened as the woman began to babble in Japanese.

"Snake! Snake! Talking snake!"

"What's--" Dojo began to ask, but Omi had snatched him from the counter, clamping his jaws shut with one hand as he backed out slowly. The customers within the restaurant were already panicking as they began scrambling out of their seats to look on the floor.

Omi quickly took the struggling dragon and stepped outside of the restaurant, standing just at the side of the doorway as there was a rush of customers talking incoherently in Japanese. Some were even screaming in a panic as some workers tried to placate them and assure them that there was no danger. Omi quietly snuck away among the chaos and took refuge around the nearest corner before he let go of Dojo's mouth.

"What's the big idea?" Dojo shouted, causing Omi to clamp a hand over his mouth again. Omi released his muzzle, putting a finger to his lips as he pointed back to the restaurant. "What? What!"

"Can you not see, Dojo? You strike fear into their very hearts!" Omi said dramatically as he dropped the dragon onto the sidewalk.

"Ow! I do?" Dojo blinked.

"Of course! Did you not see the dragon paintings that depicted them most fiercely? They obviously harbor ill feelings towards you and seeing you there caught them off guard. It would be most wise not to return there. It seems Kimiko had forgotten to warn us of such dangers." Omi nodded, amazed at his own deductive skills as he continued down the sidewalk, leaving Dojo to digest his words.

"Yeah... Yeah! I guess you're right. Never thought I'd have to deal with prejudice for being a dragon." Dojo said thoughtfully as he followed Omi.

Incidentally, the Komiya restaurant no longer liked the idea of having a dragon theme, or any sort of reptilian theme in general. Shortly afterwards, they had decided to scrap the idea of weekly themes all together.

Omi was still contemplating his reasonings in good spirits, distracting him from the path ahead and didn't notice until he had actually encountered an obstacle. He stumbled back, nearly stepping on Dojo as the dragon made a noise of distress, winding around Omi's legs to avoid his feet. Omi flailed his arms as Dojo caused him to lose his balance and they both were sprawled on the ground in pain.

Before Omi had time to open his eyes, someone had hauled him up to his feet. There was boisterous, masculine laughter coming from the person who had helped him up. Omi found a tall, broad-shouldered man in a business suit looking down at him with his eyes shining. His glasses were falling down his nose as he began talking in Japanese. Even if Omi could understand Japanese, it would have been difficult as the man was talking through his laughter. Omi and Dojo gave each other a look of confusion. The man seemed to notice and he quieted down to a chuckle as he wiped tears from his eyes and patted Omi on the head.

"You are very impressive." The man said in English. "I saw you and your 'dragon' making quite a ruckus down at that restaurant. It was very entertaining."

"Really?" Omi and Dojo questioned at the same time which set the man into another bout of laughter, much to their utter confusion.

"You are very funny! What amazing technology!" He rumbled as he bent down to touch Dojo.

"Woah! Personal space, buddy!" Dojo snapped, slapping his hand away. The man only laughed harder as he motioned for them to follow him.

"Come, come! You must tell me more about this _dragon_," He emphasized on the word dragon and gave Omi a wink. Omi looked momentarily confused, but gave him a confused smile. "I will treat you to dinner! You look very hungry."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Dojo's entire disposition changed as he made his way up to Omi's shoulder and pointed at the path ahead of them. "Let's go!"

"Amazing!" The man said as he looked at Dojo. "He is so realistic!"

"That may be because he _is_ real!" Omi said, but the man could only laugh as he walked on ahead.

"Such imagination!"

Omi and Dojo were perplexed by the man's words, one more than the other, but when he was paying for their meal it didn't really matter what he was saying. Of course, as long as it wasn't too offensive.

"This is most delicious!" Omi said, spraying food onto the table. He continued to shovel food into his mouth, eating with little manners that caught the man off guard, but Dojo was eating in the same manner which set him off into more laughter.

"Amazing! It can even eat!" The man said, taking a sip of his drink before he turned to Omi with a more serious question. "I was interested at first when I saw you were all alone so late at night, I was a bit worried. Then I saw your display and it was quite amusing, but I really must ask, where are your parents?"

"I am an orphan." Omi said without pausing, bits of food falling back onto his plate.

The man looked somber at once. "Oh, I didn't realize, forgive me for asking."

"I am here with my friends!" Omi said cheerfully, ignoring the man's confused look as he continued to shovel rice into his mouth. "We are here to find the Shen Gong Wu that just went active and must retrieve it before the evil Heylin side does or else they will be that much closer to bringing ten thousand years of darkness on the world!"

As Omi said this so cheerfully, consuming his dinner, the man couldn't help but let out another laugh.

"Of course, I see. Who are your friends?"

"Clay, Raimundo, and Kimiko."

"I see. Do you know how to contact them?"

"We do not." Omi said somewhat hesitantly as he paused in his eating. "We are still trying to find them. It has already been many hours."

"I have my cell phone. Are you sure you don't have any contact number?" The man asked as he pulled it from his jacket pocket and showed it to Omi.

Omi gasped, food flying everywhere as he grabbed the phone with his hands covered in bits of rice. He stared at the device and began to wave it around in triumph.

" Kimiko has the same device! Now we are able to contact her--"

"Slow down there. She threw it away, remember?" Dojo interrupted, tossing a few pieces of cabbage into his mouth, chewing loudly. "And you don't even know her number."

"Ah." Omi deflated at once, dropping the phone back into the man's hands. "This is most unfortunate."

Omi sighed, staring at his plate as Dojo continued to consume more than his fair share. The man hesitated, while discreetly wiping his phone clean, before asking.

"When you say Kimiko, do you mean Tohomiko Kimiko?"

"Yes. That is the very one." Omi confirmed as he flicked a piece of rice across the table.

"I see! That makes sense, no wonder you had such incredible technology! You are in luck, Tohomiko Toshirou,--I mean, Kimiko's father is a contact of mine, we had met many times before. Would you like to call him? He will probably be able to find Kimiko for you, if she is not already with him." The man beamed as he started to dial the number.

Omi perked up at once, looking at the man with grateful smile. "Oh thank you, honorable sir! That would be most helpful."

There was a moment of silence as the man waited for the call to pick up, but eventually his expression changed as he spoke in Japanese. There was another short pause as the man took on an expression of mild surprise, glancing at Omi quickly, before smiling and speaking again.

"Well, it seems that he didn't know his daughter had come back, but he will be glad to come pick you up and look for the others." He said as he held his hand over the mouth piece. "If you would like to speak with him--"

"This is most fortunate!" Omi said excitedly, slapping his hands on the table, not realizing he had hit a plate that was holding the precariously made tower of empty bowls, Dojo in the very top one. He sent the bowls up with his unnatural strength. Dojo's eyes widened as he was unexpectedly sent up into the air and sailing overhead. Omi was oblivious, but the man who had treated him watched in horror as Dojo landed in a bowl of ramen at least three tables away.

"Um, kid," The man began, forgetting about the phone as he saw the expressions of the customers nearby,

"Thank you, your kindness will never be forgotten, right Dojo?" Omi continued on excitedly, looking around the table beaming. His smile faltered when all he saw were empty plates and a mess of food. "Dojo?"

"I didn't order any eel with my ramen!" A man grounded out angrily as he poked Dojo with his chopsticks. He spoke in English, a tourist who happened to be dining in the same restaurant.

"Eel? Who're you calling an eel?" Dojo yelled in indignation as he slapped the man's chopsticks away. The man blinked in surprise while everyone else scrambled away from the unusual sight. "Do I look slimy to you?"

The man blinked several more times. He glanced over at his beverage, a bottle of beer, one of many he had had that night and decided that it was the alcohol that was talking. He grabbed the bottle and downed it in several gulps before slamming it down with a sigh, looking back to find the 'eel' pulling itself out of the bowl and leaving a trail of soup and noodles in its wake.

"My apologies, honorable stranger. It was not my intention to disrupt your meal, please continue." Omi had hurried over, taking Dojo onto his arm as he bowed in apology. Dojo snorted.

"He doesn't even know what an eel is! Calling me an eel! The nerve of him."

"What?" The man slammed his hands on the table, looking at the dragon furiously.

"I'm sorry, he didn't mean any harm. He's only a kid," The man from before quickly came to Omi's defense and ushered him back to the table.

"What about my dinner? It's ruined!" The man shouted, throwing out his hand at the mess left on the table. "And my clothes, what is he going to do about that?"

"I'll pay for it. I'm really sorry." The man repeated, bowing his head. "Please, just calm down."

"Calm down? Don't tell me to calm down!" The man shouted. Many of the other customers already quieting to watch the spectacle unfold.

"Talk about over-reacting!" Dojo muttered loudly.

"Dojo!" Omi scolded from behind the man.

"What?" The man shoved the older one roughly aside as he towered over Omi. Dojo immediately quieted and jumped into the front of Omi's robes. He watched the trembling lump on the boy's chest, cracking his knuckles. "You've got something to say?"

"No, I feel I have expressed myself to you clearly enough." Omi told him before pointing to his shirt. "It is Dojo that may have something to add."

"You mean that eel you're carrying in your pajamas?"

"I'm not an eel, you idiot!" Dojo popped his head out, momentarily forgetting himself in a burst of anger.

That was the last straw for the drunken man as he pulled his fist back and swung at Omi. He missed, thanks to years of training. For Omi this fight would be nothing, if you could even call it a fight. Tables were overturned and chairs flew across the room as the man struggled to land a hit on the constantly moving boy. Eventually they had made their way outside, much to the relief of the workers were were scrambling to clean up the messes, placate the traumatized customers, and call the police all at the same time.

The older man who had accompanied Omi to the restaurant ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh as he realized that the boy could handle himself and dialed up Tohomiko again.

It was then that Clay and Raimundo appeared as Omi tried to reason with the man, but Dojo continued to make matters worse. Omi was pleased to see his two friends, but they were gone almost as quickly as they had come, urging him to do the same before they took off. Puzzled, Omi had did as he was told and now he was alone in an alleyway, stepping out into a different street and once again, they were lost.

"Dojo, I do not think you are reliable in finding anything but Shen Gong Wu." Omi informed the dragon after leading them into another dead-end. Then he added, "And sometimes you even have trouble doing that!"

"Well, if you have any bright ideas I'd like to hear them. Or maybe a map somewhere in your robes?" Dojo snapped, folding his small arms over his chest.

"I do not have a map, but I do have... the Orb of Tornami!" Omi said excitedly as he pulled it out of his robes, holding it out in front of him, beaming.

"And that helps us find the way back... how?" Dojo pressed, eyeing the object that resembled a crystal ball.

"I... have no idea." Omi said, deflating. "Perhaps we can send out a stream of water into the air and hope the others will see it?"

"What? Like a water flare?" Dojo joked.

"Yes!" Omi agreed excitedly. There was a pause. "What is a flare?"

"Never mind about that. I don't think that's a good idea after we nearly destroyed two restaurants already." Dojo pointed out as they rounded another corner.

"We? It is you who has been getting us in trouble!" Omi argued.

"Hey, hey! I can't help it if I'm a dragon and _certain_ people can't tell the difference between dragons and _eels_!" He shouted the last part, shaking his small fist into the air.

"There you are!" A voice called out.

Omi and Dojo looked over at the source of the voice. Recognition immediately filled their eyes as they headed over to the man they had met earlier.

"You gave me quite a scare there. Where have you been? It's dangerous to be out on your own, dressed as you are." The man told him as he led Omi to the main streets and stopped at a corner, pressing the button and waited for the pedestrian light.

"What is wrong with the way I am dressed?" Omi asked defensively as he looked over his robes in confusion.

"It's unusual." The man said, but upon seeing Omi's expression he quickly added, "It's unique--no special! Yes, it's very special."

"Special?" Omi beamed much to the man's relief. "Of course these robes are very special. It is a great honor to be able to wear them."

"Of course." The man agreed, laughing nervously as the light signaled them to go. He ushered Omi across the street, pulling out his cell phone and flipping it open as he spoke rapidly in Japanese.

They stopped in front of a small toy shop that was closed. Omi and Dojo watched the cars passing by, occasionally glancing at the man besides them who continued to converse in Japanese on his cell phone. Discreetly, Dojo leaned over to Omi's ear and told him his concerns out of the corner of his mouth.

"Can we really trust this guy?"

"He did offer us a free meal." Omi reminded him, realizing he was still holding the Orb of Tornami and quickly shoved it into the sleeve of his robes.

"Yeah, sure, but," Dojo looked over at the sleeve Omi just stuffed the Shen Gong Wu into, then looked back up at his face. "Hasn't the Heylin side made more than enough elaborate schemes to mess with us?"

"If it comes to that, we will fight and defeat the enemy." Omi said with confidence.

"All right!" The man switched to English, snapping his phone shut.

"You do not fool me, Heylin warrior!" Omi shouted, jumping away and striking a defensive pose.

There was a moment of silence.

"Right." The man agreed, blinking in surprise, but he broke into a smile. He was no longer looking at Omi as he waved his hand in the air. "Your ride is here."

"Ride?" Omi repeated, looking over his shoulder as a sleek, silver car pulled up at the side of the curb. The windows were heavily tinted and in the darkness it was impossible to tell who was inside, but soon the driver's door opened and a familiar man stepped out.

"Hey, it's Kimiko's dad!" Dojo pointed out.

"I'm sorry to call you out here like this, but I'd feel he'd be more comfortable with you." The man bowed to Kimiko's father, gesturing to Omi and Dojo who were in shock.

"It's not a problem." Kimiko's father was about a head shorter than the other man, slightly overweight with a few stray strands of gray in his jet black hair. He looked at Omi over his square-framed glasses and smiled at him, opening the back door to let him in. "It is nice to see you again, Omi. You can fill me in on the rest as we search for my daughter and the rest of your friends."

"Thank you Kimiko's father!" Omi turned to the other man and bowed deeply. "And thank you honorable sir! We are utmost grateful for your help."

"Yeah, I never doubted him for a second." Dojo sniffed as he jumped into the car.

The man laughed, clapping a hand on Toshirou's shoulder and patting Omi's head. "This kid is just non-stop!"

"My thanks for taking care of him." Toshirou bowed to the man, who only bowed back, chuckling.

"No problem, I'm glad he'll be safe now. I'll keep in touch," He looked over at Omi and winked. "Maybe I'll see you around, kid."

Omi bowed to him, grinning from ear to ear as he started to get into the car, but stopped abruptly, scrambling back out as he called out to the man.

"Wait, I do not even know your name!"

"It's not important!" The man called out from over his shoulder, walking away.

Omi watched him leave, blinking at the answer he had just received. Toshirou chuckled before he got into the driver's seat. Omi slowly followed suit, shutting the back door as he contemplated what had just happened. How could a name not be important?

"All right, let's see if we can track the others down." Toshirou said as he started the engine.

* * *

"This is hopeless!" Kimiko said a little too loudly, but passerbys would merely give her a wide berth and pretend not to listen. She stuck her hand into the pockets of her khakis, only to remember that she no longer had her cell phone and switched over to her pack to pull out her PDA. She checked the time and nearly moaned aloud when she realized that it was still an hour before the sun would rise and it also meant that she had been searching _all night_ with nothing to show for it.

"How can you find a headband in Tokyo? Even if it has magical powers, nothing has happened all night--"

"Kimiko? Tohomiko Kimiko?" A woman called out from a twenty-four hour convenience store. Kimiko was caught off guard as she cautiously approached the young woman.

"That's me." Kimiko answered in Japanese. The young woman looked just as perplexed as Kimiko did as she handed her the receiver of a cordless phone.

"Someone is calling you."

"_What_?" Kimiko looked shocked as she took the phone, eyeing it like it was something she had never seen before. She placed it to her ear, watching the woman in front of her warily. "Hello?"

"Hello!" A cheerful voice nearly blasted her ear drums.

"Ow!" Kimiko pulled it away from her ear, but she blinked and quickly returned it back to her ear. "_Omi?_"

"Yes! Kimiko! We have found you!" Omi shouted even louder, causing Kimiko to wince.

"Omi, you don't have to shout." An older male voice told him patiently.

"Papa?" Kimiko gasped. "How did you find me?"

"I used the GPS system in my car to locate the signal of your PDA. Not exactly standard." He chuckled. "Gave you quite a shock?"

"Yes." She agreed whole-heartedly. "I'm glad Omi's with you. Who else is there?"

"Dojo" Omi shouted, but quickly corrected himself and said in a quieter voice, "Dojo is also with us."

"No Raimundo or Clay?" Kimiko sounded disappointed. That meant they would have to keep searching. "No Shen Gong Wu?"

"No, I apologize, but we were unable to locate the Shen Gong Wu nor Clay or Raimundo." Omi said, his voice holding just as much disappointment as hers did.

"Same here. I'm about dead on my feet, but we need to find them."

"No, Kimiko! Do not die on us!" Omi was once again shouting, his worry causing him to momentarily forget that he didn't need to shout. "Please, just wait for us until we are able to arrive!"

"Omi!" Kimiko raised her voice in order to be heard. "Omi, it's just an expression, calm down."

"Oh, please do not scare me like that, Kimiko."

Kimiko rolled her eyes when she heard her father laughing in the background.

"Papa, we can't leave without them."

"I know, I know." Her father chuckled. "Just stay where you are and we'll come pick you up and continue looking for your friends."

"How about I meet you at the park? It's only five minutes from where I am, I just want to look a little longer where I am."

There was a pause. "All right. Fifteen minutes?"

"Thank you!" Kimiko agreed, hanging up. She handed the woman the phone and bowed, thanking her. The woman smiled and told her it was no problem. Kimiko stopped her, questioning if she had seen two young boys, but the woman shook her head, apologizing before she returned to the store.

"Come on, guys. Where are you?" Kimiko asked under her breath as she started to jog down the sidewalk, a new burst of energy starting within her at the news of her father being here to help her.

Kimiko nearly ran out into the street, but as she back pedaled, she saw a glimpse of something familiar passing under a street light. Make it _two _some_ones_. Kimiko realized she had reached the park that was only across the street from her and she had also found the two she had been looking for.

"Raimundo! Clay!" She cupped her hands around her mouth to project her voice over the street, but a few cars chose that moment to drive by, distorting her call and blocking her view. By the time she had a clear view of the opposite sidewalk, it was empty.

She quickly made her way across the street, not even bothering to check if it was clear. Once she had reached the parks entrance, she could see nothing passed the street lights posted along the main road. It was pitch black and she could barely see the outline of the trees or the cement path before her. Kimiko clenched her fists at her sides, her irritation rising. There was no way she was going to lose them when she thought she had just found them. She pulled out the Shen Gong Wu she had chosen and called out its name.

"Falcon's Eye." She placed it over her right eye. Immediately she could distinguish every little detail as if it were day. She sighed in relief and began searching for any sign of the two boys. She didn't have to look for long as she could see them near the center of the park, a single lamppost shining down on them as they were being surrounded by none too friendly looking people.

"I thought you guys were smarter than that." Kimiko mumbled as she began running, the Shen Gong Wu still on her eye. She pulled out her PDA and glanced at the time before placing it back in her pack.

Seven minutes. They could handle this in two.

* * *

"Do you think he got out okay?" Clay asked after a while. They had ran as far as they could earlier, but it seemed that they had been walking for a good half hour trying to find the park.

"I hope so, but you never know with Omi." Raimundo replied as he followed Clay. "Hey! I actually recognize this place!"

"You do?"

"Yeah! It looks like the street we ran from earlier." Raimundo frowned, looking to his side. "You see, that's the vending machine I saw you staring at."

"Well I'll be. You're right." Clay agreed, scratching the side of his head and tilting his hat. "I guess we took so many twists and turns we ended right back where we started!"

"Well, at least the shows over." Raimundo commented as he looked over at the restaurant. They were closed as were many of the other shops along the street. "I guess it must be pretty late, it feels like we've been walking around all night!"

"That's probably the case." Clay said as he went over to the vending machine to study it once more.

Raimundo sighed, leaning against the wall. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and opened his mouth to say something else when he saw a teenage girl standing a few yards away from the vending machine Clay was staring at. She was a knock-out beauty with soft colored, pink lips, long flowing black hair and bright brown eyes, the usual type Raimundo would be all over seeing as his type was _any _beautiful girl he could spot. His fate was sealed when she caught his gaze, coyly matching his with her own as she gave him a wink and turned away, her pleated skirt fluttering around her.

"Oh." Raimundo's legs began to move of their own accord, but he didn't mind at all.

"Say, partner, do you think regular coins would work with this?" Clay asked. There was a beat of silence. Clay looked over his shoulder. "Rai?"

Clay blinked when he saw Raimundo was no longer there, taking a step away from the machine and began to search the streets, stopping when he saw Raimundo starting to turn the corner. "Hey, Rai! Where're you going?"

Clay jogged over to where Raimundo was standing, a sly smile on his face and a look he recognized all too well in his eyes. He stopped behind him and followed Raimundo's gaze to see the same girl that had caught Raimundo's attention. He had to admit, she was pretty, but it seemed odd for a young girl to be out at this time of night all by herself. A pretty face that seemed pretty suspicious often led to trouble.

"Howdy." Clay said hesitantly, snapping Raimundo out of his stupor.

"Hey there." Raimundo made his voice sound as smooth as possible. The girl flashed a smile, encouraging him. "Do you think you could give us a little help?"

"Maybe," She said with a hint of an accent. "What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for the park." Clay said quickly, earning him a glare from his friend. "Do you know where it is?"

"Of course, it's not far." She smiled widely and turned away. She gave them an innocent look as she swayed her hips, tossed her hair over her shoulder and motioned to the side. "It's over there. Follow me."

Raimundo had no problem following her orders, but Clay hesitated. He watched as Raimundo sidled up next to her. He leaned in, saying something he couldn't distinguish as he offered his arm to her. She put a hand to her mouth as she let out a giggle, lightly pushing him away. Clay sighed, keeping a careful watch on his already smitten friend.

"This park, yes?" She asked as she stood at the entrance, her appearance taking on a whole different atmosphere. Her smile was wider and a little eerie, but Raimundo was oblivious.

"Yeah! Thanks a lot."

"Are you waiting for someone?" She asked quietly, playing with the tie on her school uniform, pulling it from her collar and running it through her fingers.

"We are. Thank you kindly for your help, but we should be okay now. Don't you need to get home, little missy?"

"I do, but it is through this park." She said in a whisper, leaning closer to Raimundo. "I am afraid to enter this park alone, would you walk with me? Just for a little while."

"Well-" Clay began hesitantly, but Raimundo answered for the both of them.

"Of course! What kind of gentlemen would we be if we let such a cute, defenseless girl into the dark all by herself?" Raimundo waggled his eyebrows, causing her to giggle.

Clay had had enough and grabbed his friend by the collar of his sweater. "Excuse us for a second."

"Hey!" Raimundo struggled as Clay took them out of earshot of the girl. "What's your problem?"

"What's _your_ problem?" Clay shot back. "I thought you said chivalry was dead."

"It is." Raimundo agreed, but a grin worked it's way onto his face. "Chill, I know what she's up to. She's probably trying to lead us to her 'friends' that are waiting to ambush us in the middle of the park. I figure it'd be fun to kill some time."

"You... knew?" Clay blinked, releasing Raimundo's hoodie. "Really?"

"Yeah." He gave Clay a wink and thumbs up before turning back to the girl waiting for them. "Come on, Clay buddy. Don't tell me you don't think you can handle it?"

"This still doesn't seem like a good idea, Rai." Clay argued, but both quieted as they reached the girl. Raimundo made an exaggerated bow as he offered his arm to her once again. This time, however, she took it smiling. Clay saw the look in her eyes, the same look that he recalled seeing many times before in the eyes of the villains that had tried to double cross them. He sighed and followed after them. He could only hope that Raimundo knew what he was getting them into.

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving a little, ah, donation?" The girl suddenly questioned as she pulled away from Raimundo's arm. They were far into the park, surrounded by trees and a single lamp post standing in the middle of the small area she had picked out. She stepped under the light of the lamp post and smiled at them.

"What? For leading us to the park?" Raimundo smirked. "I thought you were just being a good samaritan."

"Nothing's free, little boy." She told him quietly.

Clay stiffened as the predicted ambush starting to form a circle around them. At most, there seemed to be about ten, maybe even fifteen. Some were holding weapons, such as a lead pipe or a bat, but most were cracking their knuckles and punching their fists into their open palms. "Rai..."

"Little boy? I thought you were like, what? Five?" Raimundo gave her the once over, frowning. "Without any figure, it's a wonder you can lure anyone out here."

"I got you two, didn't I?" She snapped, her composure starting to break.

"Sure, because we let you." Raimundo grinned. "Could you have been any more obvious?"

"Rai, buddy?"

"We'll see how cocky you are once we take you for everything you're worth." The girl whispered as she snapped her fingers.

At once all of them attacked. Raimundo grinned as he fell into a split, two of them colliding into one another above him. He was up on his feet before one could hit his leg with the bat they were wielding and side-stepped another swinging a lead pipe. He ducked when they swung at once, hitting each other's weapons out of their hands, both crying out in pain.

"You know, more isn't always better!" Raimundo told them as he grabbed one guy and flipped him over his shoulder.

Clay was ducking and dodging the weapons being swung at him. He noticed every guy that was attacking him had a weapon and frowned when one nearly swept his hat off his head. He guessed it was probably due to his size that they were intimidated.

"It ain't at all fair that ya'll are using weapons and I've got none." Then he raised his boot, stomping on the ground as he shouted, "Seismic Kick, Earth!"

All five guys that were attacking him went flying in different directions. Clay grinned as he straightened up and adjusted his hat.

"Given the differences in our abilities, I guess it evens out."

"See? No problem!" Raimundo told Clay as he eyed the remaining guys. He grinned and rubbed the soles of his sneakers into the dirt. He took a deep breath and clapped his hands together shouting, "Typhoon Boom, Wind!"

The remaining guys were sent flying into the trees. He couldn't see where they landed, but by the yelling and cries of pain as well as the rustling of leaves and cracking of branches, he could take a wild guess.

"Impressive." The girl said suddenly, seeing her fallen comrades. Her voice was controlled but her hands were trembling as she held out the two objects she had managed to grab off of them. "But I've got what I wanted!"

Raimundo and Clay looked at the girl in confusion, but both gasped when they saw her holding their Shen Gong Wu, the Serpent's Tail and Lotus Twister. They began to search themselves, patting down their shirts and pockets, unable to believe that she had been able to steal it from them so stealthily.

"You're good." Raimundo had to admit.

She stuck out her tongue out at him before taking off. Raimundo and Clay were at her heels, but they could no longer see the culprit and with all the fallen enemies they had just beaten, they were hard pressed to keep their balance. More than once they had nearly tripped, catching onto the bodies of the boys moaning in pain and from the sound of the girls footsteps, she was luckily enough to avoid them and was already a good distance away.

"I told you this was a bad idea, Rai!" Clay called out from the darkness.

"Quit yapping and keep running!" Raimundo shouted back, eating dirt a second later by the momentary distraction. He spit out the dirt and grass he managed to catch in his mouth.

"Judolette Flip, Fire!"

There was a scream in the darkness, then silence.

Raimundo scrambled to his feet , waving his hands out in front of him as he searched blindly in the darkness.

"Kimiko?" Raimundo called out as Clay echoed after him.

"Great job, guys. Instead of finding the new Shen Gong Wu, you almost lost the ones we already had." Kimiko grabbed Raimundo in a flash, causing the boy to yelp in surprise. He grabbed onto Kimiko's arm in retaliation, gripping it tightly as he slowed the beating of his heart.

"Don't do that!"

"Quit whining." Kimiko teased as she led him over to Clay, grabbing his arm as well.

"Thanks Kimiko, that was a close one." Clay told her as they carefully made their way to the entrance of the park.

"Yeah, yeah. I can't believe you guys got caught in a fight like that. What were you thinking?"

"We didn't get caught. We _let_ them catch us." Raimundo corrected. "Just to kill some time."

Kimiko stopped abruptly, both boys stumbling into her and causing her to nearly fall from their combined impact. She held onto their arms tightly to keep her balance and slowly turned to Raimundo, not caring that it lost its effect because he couldn't see her in the darkness.

"Excuse me?" Kimiko asked, momentarily releasing Clay to poke a finger at Raimundo's chest. "_To kill time_? So you were just _playing_ around? And you nearly lost two Shen Gong Wu because you underestimated your enemy all because you were _bored_?"

"That pretty much sums it up, yeah." Raimundo agreed, shrugging.

Kimiko could only stare at the Brazilian boy, momentarily stunned speechless. She glanced over at Clay who was shaking his head in the darkness. She grabbed Clay's arm and headed towards the entrance, no longer caring if Raimundo never made it out of the park. "Let's go, Clay. Our ride is probably waiting for us outside the park right now."

"Hey! Where are you going? Guys?" Raimundo listened as their steps started to fade away and hurried to catch up. "Guys?"

* * *

**Additional AN:** This might be the only chapter that won't have Jack or Keiko in it, but I may be wrong. I didn't even think I'd be writing this chapter, so only time will tell. Jack and Keiko do play _very_ big parts, but overall, all the characters are important. Without them, the story would fall apart :)

Moving on, again thank you to **Egglette, krystalmaze**, **K. Fox**, and **sianypie** for taking the time out to actually review my story and tell me what they think of it. I really appreciate your comments :) And I understand that you might be hesitant to read my story because Keiko is pretty much an untouched character, so it's easy to 'corrupt' her (aka turn her into a Mary Sue) and I have also avoided stories like that, but thank you to everyone who gave or is still giving my story a chance.

Next we will go back to the conclusion of the fight between Jack, Katnappé and Keiko. Hopefully. It's not turning out as well as I would of liked, but I'm still trying to fix it so I'll be able to post something decent soon.


	5. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

**Key**: Paragraphs in _Italics_ are flashbacks.

* * *

**The Morning After**

**

* * *

**

Keiko felt as if the bottom of her stomach dropped out from under her as she fell to her knees, the young boy's screams and the sound of shattering glass pounding against her ear drums.

"What a mess." Katnappé mumbled, shaking her boots free of stray pieces of glass and brushing down her arms.

Keiko scrambled up to her feet, not caring about the glass sticking to her jeans and scraping against her palms as she grabbed the sides of the broken window carefully, her bangs were blown from her forehead from a strong gust of wind that howled through the opening. She looked down, searching the street below with wide eyes, trying to find the fallen boy. She could barely see anything on the ground below, only a few street lights and the toy-sized cars speeding by on the street below.

"Oh no..." Keiko whimpered, a hand covered her mouth as her world began to spin and she thought she could feel herself starting to lean forward. She felt sick to her stomach, light-headed as her vision started to blur and it felt as if she couldn't breath.

"Hey!"

Keiko was jerked back to reality, the volume suddenly put back on full blast as she could hear the wind whistling by her ears and the traffic on the streets below. Katnappé had grabbed Keiko's braid and pulled her away from the opening. Keiko gripped the arm that was still holding her braid, unable to support herself. Katnappé yelped as shards of glass dug into her suit and released the Japanese girl.

"This is the thanks I get for saving you?" Katnappé hissed as she tried to pluck the pieces of glass out with her claws, but soon gave in to her frustration when she was unable to get a steady hold of them. "Whatever!"

"You..." Keiko was having trouble breathing again as she still held a hand over her mouth. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, stumbling back until she met the wall, slowly sliding down to the ground. "You killed him."

"Killed him?" Katnappé repeated in disbelief, blinking down at her before a malicious laugh made it's way from her throat. "Killed him! You've got to be joking--"

Katnappé was near tears when she refocused her gaze on the other girl. Her laughter died out when she saw just how pale the Japanese girl was and could only stare at her in disbelief.

"Oh come on!" Katnappé snapped, not knowing why she suddenly felt so angry as the young girl tensed at her voice. "Sure, he's an annoying dweeb and a major freak, but I wouldn't _kill _him."

Keiko jumped to her feet. "You just kicked him out the window on the twenty-first floor! You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe you after you had just threatened to get rid of me earlier!"

"He's not dead!" Katnappé cried out over the howling wind, her voice starting to take on a hint of worry as she realized it had been a while since she had attacked Jack. "He... he's not!"

"Got that right."

Both girls whipped around, the sound of whirling blades of his heli-bot in combination of the wind nearly drowned out his own voice. He dangled just outside the broken window, suspended by his pack as he shook off the excess glass that got stuck to his coat. He scowled angrily at Katnappé, but his eyes still showed traces of fear to prove that he hadn't come out from the attack unscathed.

"Jack!" Katnappé gasped. Keiko blinked, glancing over at the blonde girl for a moment. It might have been her imagination, but--

Jack cut off her train of thought as he darted through the broken window and over to the ruined display case, reaching in for the other sword. Katnappé quickly regained her focus as she stalked over to him, crushing pieces of glass beneath her heels.

"Didn't I tell you those toys won't cut it?"

"Better than nothing!" Jack retorted, struggling to remove it from the case. "Why won't it come out?"

Jack pulled with one hand into the mangled box while one foot kept it on the floor, tugging at it with a grunt. He was careful not to cut his hand on the protruding pieces near the opening, but Katnappé was already at his back, taking a moment to watch his progress. He gave another mighty pull, breaking the rest of the glass that kept the sword trapped and was flung into Katnappé. Both grunted as they fell to the ground, pieces of glass flying across the room and over the two thieves sprawled on the floor.

"Get off of me!" Katnappé screeched as she kicked the red-headed boy off.

Jack winced as his hand came in contact with the glass littering the floor. He ignored the pain in his hand and got up, clutching the sword by the sheath with his injured hand and pointing at Katnappé with his other. "All right, Katnappé! Let's see what you got!"

Katnappé set herself into a crouching position, ready to pounce as she made a weak slash at the air in warning, hissing quietly.

Jack grabbed the hilt of the sword, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He snapped them open and pulled the sword with all his might, cutting the air in front of him in an arc as he stopped it at his side at shoulder length...

... only to lose his grip and send it flying. Jack squeaked as the blade was sent flying, wincing as he heard it embed itself into the wall. Katnappé smirked at his idiocy and started to ready herself for an attack when a sharp cry broke her concentration. She turned to glare at the girl, but her eyes widened at what she saw.

Keiko had quickly been forgotten as soon as Jack appeared to continue their fight, but unable to simply turn around and take her chance to escape, she made the foolish decision to stay and watch. That decision nearly cost her life as Keiko saw the sword coming and she screamed. Keiko turned sharply and dove to the side, but she felt something tear and a sharp pain coming from her neck. She fell to the floor with a cry of pain and lay there, her eyes tightly shut as she prayed that she was still alive.

A few moments of silence passed, only the wind howling through the broken window could be heard. Slowly, Keiko pushed herself back up on her knees and rested on her heels, laughing quietly when she realized she was still very much alive as she could feel the slight stinging on the back of her neck as well the wind. Keiko felt her neck to feel the slight stickiness to confirm that she had been cut, but there was something missing...

She looked over her shoulder and could only stare, her forced laughter subsiding.

"At least you feel lighter." Jack offered, giving a nervous laugh. Katnappé shook her head. He had nearly missed decapitating the poor girl, luckily only nicking the nape of her neck, but the tragedy that had just occurred was that her braid was cut right through at least one inch above her shoulder. The wound was superficial, but her braid was lying on the floor at her feet. Keiko was so deeply shocked that she couldn't even bring herself to cry or show any of her anger.

Suddenly, there was a beeping noise. At first it had started off soft, but it was rapidly increasing in volume. Katnappé opened her mouth to question what it was, but Jack had bounded away and stopped over his laptop that he had left under one of the desks he had been hiding under earlier. The beeping continued for a few more moments before they heard the sound of the laptop clicking close. Jack reappeared, scowling.

"Security finally caught wind of what's going down." Jack shoved the laptop into his pack, then he picked up the items that had fallen out of the bag earlier.

"Hey!" Katnappé shouted as she dove for the stolen goods, but Jack had already picked them up and ran to the broken window.

"See ya, fur-ball. It's been a pain in my ass seeing you again!" Jack yelled over the wind as his heli-bot activated. He grinned at Katnappé who was steaming as she hissed at him. His grin faltered when he caught sight of the Japanese girl, still staring at the floor. As if sensing his gaze, Keiko looked over at him. He quickly averted his eyes and ascended.

Katnappé cursed under her breath as Jack disappeared into the night. She wasn't about to go home empty handed, but if Jack was right, then she couldn't stay around any longer and be caught by security. With a growl of frustration she grabbed Keiko by the collar of her jacket and forced her to look at her.

"Listen, you better not tell anyone about me, got it?" Keiko was slowly coming to her senses, her eyes narrowing at the threat. Katnappé scowled as she dropped Keiko back onto the ground and bounded back into the shadows just as the door to the staircase burst open somewhere on the floor.

There was indistinct shouting as two men appeared around the corner, holding flashlights as they shined it throughout the floor. Their lights landed on Keiko as she was pushing herself back up onto her feet. She stood on shaky legs, swaying as the wind continued to blow around her fiercely. She starred at the mess of hair piled at her feet, still in disbelief of what had just happened.

The men shouted in Japanese, but Keiko was too lost in her own world to comprehend their words. The moment she looked up she was blinded by the beams of light shined directly at her face. The next thing she knew security had grabbed her roughly, each man taking one of her arms in an almost bruising grip. Keiko felt her pulse rising and her breathing growing into short gasps as she tried to struggle free.

Keiko was unable to think straight, but if she were, she might have been able to calm herself and explain herself to the security guards. She would have realized how strange it must have look for her, this disheveled young girl to be standing in a mess of mangled furniture and the floor covered in broken glass as well as a broken window all the way on the twenty-first floor. However, the only thing Keiko could think was how trapped she felt in their grasp and how it felt as if the world was spinning. She couldn't escape the wave of nausea she felt. It was as if her head were about to burst, causing her to double over as she lost consciousness.

The next moment Keiko found herself standing alone. There were no guard or thieves. She was still standing in a mess of broken glass in front of the broken window, but she no longer felt sick and overwhelmed by her surroundings. She felt somewhat at ease, as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest. She was still confused of what was happening as she couldn't recall the details as clearly as before. It was probably due to shock by all the excitement that she was already starting to suppress the traumatizing events.

Keiko decided she should move away from the window, taking a step forward when she felt something strange beneath her foot. She looked down to see the bag that Jack had been holding earlier and the red headband laying next to it. Keiko crouched down, reaching to grab the bag. She gripped it firmly, feeling an object inside. She was tempted to look, but thought against it as she opened her messenger bag and placed it inside. Then she picked up the headband.

Keiko felt as if her energy had been taken right out of her and the room began to spin. She tried to let go of the headband, but her body refused to listen and only held on to it even tighter. Keiko couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her as she could no longer hold herself up. She collapsed onto the floor, her vision blurring as she blacked out once again. Had Keiko been awake a moment longer she would have heard the commotion of more security guards arriving on the floor as well as their surprise to find two of their comrades sprawled against the walls.

* * *

When you've lived for over fifteen hundred years it's not hard to be able to tell when a major shift in the world occurs. Other than the dreary and unwelcome atmosphere his stone citadel held, nothing seemed out of place outside his territory. However, Chase Young knew something was terribly wrong. As evil as he had deemed himself, there were a few times he had taken a neutral position in order to serve a greater purpose when he had teamed up with his enemies, more precisely, when he had teamed up with Omi.

Today, however, brought an ominous feeling that sent a chill down his spine. Even his pets seemed to sense the disturbance as they yowled as if they were in pain and scratched at the stone walls and floors until their claws cracked and bleed. They hissed at their master and fought one another to the point that Chase had to lock them away and keep them sedated until he could mend their wounds and calm them down.

It was troubling him. Nothing may have happened yet, but it was the start of some terrible disaster that was soon to happen.

Over time, Chase had come to realize that even if he were to be labeled as _evil_ it does not necessarily mean he was completely heartless. There was no black and white or solid line separating good from evil. He knew that his inhibitions were loosened and his own personal desires were his highest priority than when he was considered _good_ and had trained his whole life in order to prepare to make any sacrifice necessary if it was for the greater good. He could be considered a lesser evil as he would not be so cruel as to slaughter someone in cold blood if it was unnecessary, but on the other hand he wouldn't go out of his way to save them either.

There was a cawing noise from above. Chase glanced up to find a crow circling overhead. He raised one of his hands to which the crow dove towards, pulling back a split second to wrap it's claws around his arm as it folded it's wings to its sides. It cawed once more, ruffling its feathers. Chase eyed it carefully.

"What have you found?" He asked the crow quietly. The crow titled it's head to the side, staring at him with one dark, unblinking eye.

Chase sat in silence as he locked gazes with the bird resting on his arm. He snorted in disgust, frightening the bird as he shook his arm to free it's claws from his armor. He pushed back his chair and stood up. He headed towards the entrance to his fortress. His spy had shown him little information as it had first took a peek at the Xiaolin Warriors who could be seen leaving the temple on Dojo. The bird then managed to catch a glimpse of the Ying-Ying bird leaving a red-headed woman, which could only mean Hannibal. What disgusted him at that moment was that Hannibal had also made it known to his spy that he was planning to drop by.

"The impudence." Chase growled out quietly as he stepped out of his lair. Sure enough a black dot could be seen in the distance. The look Chase gave to the approaching bird was anything but welcoming. Had it been a normal bird, it might have sensed the danger in approaching any closer, but the Ying-Ying bird was carrying an evil that could match the power of Chase Young. It made no hesitation as it circled once above Chase's head before landing onto the armor covering his shoulder.

"Still alive, are you?" Chase asked as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Your overwhelming concern for my health touches me." The bean commented with amusement as he appeared from beneath the bird's feathers. "I haven't come here for small talk."

"You better have a good reason for this un-welcomed visit." Chase narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sure you must have noticed something strange." Hannibal paused for effect, a sly smile making its way onto his face. "A slight tilting of the scales, you could say."

"What do you know?" Chase asked sharply, his entire posture going rigid, causing the bird to flutter it's wings in alarm, but Hannibal was un-phased.

"So you _have _noticed."

"You're trying my patience..."

"All right, I'll get straight to the point." Hannibal gave Chase a serious look, but he was pleased at the responses he was getting. He began to tell Chase the same thing he told Wuya, about the unstable weapon that he had found out about and how it could help allow them to use more than one Shen Gong Wu--

"It must be destroyed." Chase cut Hannibal off.

Hannibal let his 'arm' go limp, surprised at the warriors response. "Pardon?"

"An unstable weapon combined with a unnumerable amount of Shen Gong Wu is something that doesn't need to exist. I fear your greed blinds you from the truth of the matter, it goes much farther than what you believe..."

"Fear? You're _afraid_ of this weapon?" Hannibal emphasized as he eyed the warrior after regaining his composure. This was not going as he had originally planned.

"What do I need those trinkets for? They are of no importance to me and the only one I see benefitting from this deal is _you_." Chase turned sharply, shrugging the bird off his shoulder.

The bird made a noise of displeasure as it hovered at eye level, flapping it's wing in irritation. Hannibal smirked at Chase's retreating back.

"I never thought I'd see the great Chase Young back down so quickly."

Chase turned back, raising a fist up and clenching it as he retorted, "How dare you mock me--"

"Don't be a fool, boy!" Hannibal yelled over Chase's indignant response, the bird darting to Chase's face, it's beak an inch from his nose.

Chase felt his anger rising, his composure was quickly fading into nothing. "_Boy_? I've lived for over a millennia and defeated the greatest of warriors--"

"And who do you think made you that powerful?" Hannibal interjected. He was met with silence so he continued, a grin making it's way onto his face. "Don't tell me that a great warrior like yourself is worried about being unable to control a mere weapon?"

"I just told you, that's not--" Chase began again, but much to his frustration Hannibal interrupted him.

"Don't disappointment me, Chase." Hannibal said as the bird pushed away from the warrior and began ascending, circling just a few feet above Chase's head. "I'm going to need to know whether you're with me, or... well..."

Chase glared up at the pest, his hands clenching at his sides.

"With this power, we could even convince Omi to join our side, or if that won't work, we'll be able to crush him and the rest of those Xiaolin dragons." Hannibal laughed as the bird rose up into the sky and headed back in the direction it had come from.

Chase returned back to his fortress to escape the laughter that was already fading in the distance. He turned Hannibal's words over in his mind, but the warrior knew the bean could not be trusted. He had no doubt already offered the partnership to Wuya as well and purposely failed to inform Chase of that when he was trying to cox him into the deal.

He stopped in front of the staircase, his eyes narrowing as Hannibal's words still echoed in his mind. He knew better to accept the deal and join with the bean when he was sure that Hannibal knew more than he let on, but if Hannibal was successful he could very well prove to be more powerful and much more than Chase could handle alone. However, if he played his cards right he could get rid of that annoying pest and perhaps be able to reform Omi again. Either way, there was a possibility of being defeated if he were to leave either opponent alone.

As Chase sat alone with his thoughts, the sun began to rise.

* * *

The Xiaolin dragons were currently fast asleep at the Tohomiko household with the exception of one. Kimiko sat in her room, fiddling with her new phone as the people of Tokyo began with their daily lives. It was already nine in the morning, but they had arrived at least an hour earlier completely exhausted. Kimiko had been the most exhausted of all as it was she who had to track down each one only to find them causing trouble, whether they meant to or not.

Fortunately enough, her father was able to help her and although he was bewildered by her impromptu visit, he was nonetheless very happy to see her. He took the boys (Dojo as well) aside and set them up with their own place to sleep as Kimiko went to her own room. Raimundo was so tired he didn't even complain about the futons that they were given, rather than western style beds. However, they had first had their fill of breakfast, unable to turn down the offered food after searching fruitlessly for the entire night and into the early hours of the morning. Right now they were dead to the world, their snores shaking the room they were currently occupying.

Kimiko's father had been surprised to find out what happened to her phone, but it wasn't the first time. He told her that it may take a few hours, but he would get her a new one after he had finished his errands and made a short visit to work. Kimiko thanked him as he left, immediately taking the land line and retreating to the sanctuary of her room even when she knew that the others were much too exhausted to bother her.

Kimiko held the cordless phone in her hands, collapsing on her bed as she sighed, taking a moment to soak it in. She was at home in her room. Her closet filled to the brim with all her styles and designs, her dresser littered with pictures, magazine clip-outs, make-up and other accessories. Her diary was still locked within one of the drawers. The diary that talked about her old life when all she cared about was the homework that was due the next day, the boy she thought was cute that sat next to her, the people she would be hanging out with in the afternoon once school was out. Sitting in her room, holding the phone in her hands, it felt like nothing had changed and no time had passed.

Kimiko felt a stab of nostalgia, but she quickly pushed it aside and began dialing the numbers she already knew by heart. With every button pressed, Kimiko felt her heart rate picking up. Slowly, she raised the device to her ear and listened as the phone began to ring. It rang continuously, each ring bringing more of her nerves on end as she anxiously waited for the person to pick up. After the seventh ring, Kimiko felt her spirits dropping, mixed in with a bit of relief, when she realized that the phone was about to switch to voice mail.

Then the call was picked up.

Kimiko was so surprised that she rushed out in English. "Hello? Keiko? It's me, Kimiko."

There was no answer, but Kimiko knew someone was listening on the other line. She realized that she had been talking in English and tried again in Japanese. There was still no answer. Was she upset with her?

"Keiko, I know you're probably really mad at me, but you have to understand! There's a lot going on, more than you know and I can't tell you the whole story right now, but I will eventually." Kimiko started in Japanese, at first fearful at the chance of being caught by the others, but she began to switch between the two randomly in her increasing anger when the silence on the other end continued. "Look, I know I haven't been calling as much, but neither have you. I have just as much right as you do to be angry. What have you been doing all this time? I've been through more than you can even imagine! If you want to keep up with this, this... stupid game then you go right ahead, but I'm tired of it!"

Kimiko was fuming, but when there was still no answer, she felt her anger ebbing away. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, a hint of desperation in her tone.

"Please answer, Keiko."

The call was cut off. Kimiko could only stare at her reflection in her dresser, her eyes wide and her hand shaking. Anger took control of her once again and she hurled the phone at the floor, turning to her pillow to let out a muffled scream of frustration.

If anyone knew Kimiko well, they would know that she had a short temper and was quick to anger, but ever since she had started training at the Xiaolin temple she had begun to control it. She thought she was doing pretty well, despite the fact that she often argued that she didn't have a temper to begin with, but today they had lost a Shen Gong Wu with the addition of lack of sleep and the response she was getting from her supposed best friend, it was more than she could bear.

Kimiko pulled her face from her pillow, lifting her fist to bring it down on the soft material when the phone began to ring. Kimiko's entire attitude changed as she nearly crushed her face onto the floor in her haste to grab the phone. She took a deep breath, composing herself as she pushed her bangs from her eyes and smoothed out her pajamas.

She exhaled before she accepted the call and said in what she hoped to be an aloof tone, "Hello?"

"Kimiko."

"Papa?" Kimiko blinked in surprise.

"I..." He hesitated. "I think we need to talk. I'm coming to pick you up now."

* * *

There room had walls colored an eggshell white with only one bed near the doorway of the hospital room. A small television sat on a shelf attached to the wall, it's blank screen reflecting the bed that sat across from it. The door to the room was shut and locked, the only movement was coming from the vertical blinds that were loosely spread across the sliding window that was open a crack to allow in a light breeze. A lone figure laying on the bed, her chest rising and falling at an even pace to show that she was breathing. On the door, there was a small window that allowed an occasional shadow to fall across the floor of the room, but aside from the soft murmur of activity just outside the room, it was quiet.

Keiko jolted awake. Her eyes were wide and her shoulders were shaking as she stared out ahead, a gasp escaping her lips. Disoriented, Keiko had to take a moment to realize she was in a completely new surrounding, but this only served to increase her panic and confusion. Where was she? Why was she here? What had happened?

Keiko threw off the covers, swinging her legs over to the side of the bed. She stopped when she felt a jerk at her arm and looked sharply to see an IV tube taped to the bend of her arm. She winced, finally registering the pain as she looked up to see the bag of clear fluid dropping down into the tube. She was tempted to rip it off, but she soon forgot about it when she realized what her current state of dress was. She quickly grabbed the covers and pulled her legs back onto the bed, feeling vulnerable beneath the thin material of the hospital gown.

Her hands flew up to her face, patting it gingerly and causing her to wince in response. She felt gauzy material on one of her cheeks and one of her temples, and noticed that her right arm was bandaged above the elbow. She slowly relaxed, letting out a long sigh as she looked up at the television and focused on her distorted reflection. She must have passed out and was brought to the hospital.

Relief flooded her as she looked to the side to see sunlight peeking through the blinds and onto the floor. Keiko smiled as she leaned back against the headboard.

She straightened up at once, her eyes widening as she reached up to feel the back of her neck. She could feel nothing but gauze and felt tears starting, her breathing starting to become irregular as she reached further up to feel the short strands dangling over her shoulders. She had been hoping it was all just a terrible nightmare...

The door opened and a nurse in a pristine, white uniform appeared. She kept her eyes on the black tray in her hands as she turned around and closed the door behind her before lifting her eyes to check on her patient. She was taken aback to find the girl sitting up with one hand cupping the bandage around her neck and the other hand fingering the the butchered remains of her hair. Their eyes locked for a moment, but the nurse was soon brought out of her daze as a look of utter despair filled the young girl's brown eyes and tears began to fall down her face.

"Oh, no," The nurse quickly put the tray down on a desk nearby and went over to the distressed girl. "Now, now, don't cry."

"It's gone!" Keiko wailed as she brought her knees to her chest and tangled her hands into what was left of her hair, trembling. "It's gone..."

"What's gone?" The nurse sat on the edge of her bed, putting a hand comfortingly on Keiko's knee, rubbing it gently, but the girl only continued to tremble.

There was a muffled reply.

"What was that?" The nurse asked, leaning closer.

Another distressed mumble.

"I'm sorry, I can't understand you--"

"My hair!" Keiko cried as she jerked up, pulling at the strands in anguish. "It's ruined! I look horrible!"

"Oh, you're just exaggerating." The nurse said calmly as she gently pried the girl's hands from her head and placed them into Keiko's lap.

Keiko looked at the woman, her tears ceasing for a moment. "Exaggerating? I've been through hell and back--"

"Oh, I'm sure you've been through a lot, that I don't doubt." The nurse agreed in a soothing voice as she pulled out a package of kleenex from her pocket and opened it up. She took one out and made to wipe Keiko's face, but the girl jerked away, grabbing the nurse's hand to pluck it from her grasp. The nurse didn't seem offended by the action and pulled her arm away as she stood back up and walked over to the tray. :"I meant your hair. It's not that bad."

Keiko roughly wiped away the remnants of her tears, her anguish turning into embarrassment and irritation. "What?"

"It's a little uneven, but a trip to the saloon can fix that right up. I think it suits you." The nurse told her as she poured water into a plastic mug. "After all, there's no use crying over spilt milk, right? It's gone, but you can always grow it back if you aren't happy."

"I'm not happy." Keiko replied sharply, balling up the kleenex and tossing it at the trash can a few feet away from her bed, sitting in the corner closest to the window. It missed it's target, bouncing off the side and onto the ground. Keiko suppressed a growl as she snatched the package at her side and began to pull out tissues at a wild pace in her anger. She crushed them up in her hand, wiping her eyes and then her nose, blowing it in a very un-ladylike fashion before she balled them up and tried again.

She missed again. "Bloody..."

"Excuse me?" The nurse was at her side, holding the plastic mug of water.

"Sorry, just talking to myself." Keiko explained as she accepted the offered water.

"Someone came by earlier."

Keiko choked on her water, spitting it onto her bed sheets as she coughed. The nurse worriedly ran a hand over her back, but Keiko shook her head, lowering the cup and looking up at the nurse in surprise. "Wh-who?"

"I believe it was your cousin." The nurse said as she pulled back with a thoughtful look on her face. "Karen? I think."

"Oh." Keiko couldn't keep the disappointment out of her tone as she looked at the water in her cup. Sensing that something was wrong, the nurse quickly diverted her attention as she offered Keiko a small cup containing two tiny pills. Keiko looked at them, hesitant to accept them. "What are those?"

"Pain-killers. You're probably a little sore right now and it'll help you get your rest. You had a rough night, so I've heard." Keiko nodded slowly as she took the small cup.

"I know you're a bit traumatized, but just get some rest and try to stay in bed." The nurse told Keiko as the young girl took a sip of water to wet her dry throat. She eyed the pills warily and was tempted to pass, but out of the corner of her eye she could see the nurse staring at her intensely. Feeling even more nervous, Keiko popped them into her mouth and downed it with the water. The nurse waited until she had drained the cup before taking it away and placing it on the table next to her bed. "I'll come by later to check on you."

Keiko nodded, watching as the nurse walked out of the room, sliding the door behind her. She heard the lock click in place and felt her shoulders slump. Keiko was stuck in some hospital room for who knows how long and she still had no idea what had happened after she blacked out. She didn't know if they had caught the thieves or if she really met such colorful characters. Could she have imagined it?

No, if she was in the hospital it had to have happened. If her uneven hair cut wasn't enough, then the thief sitting on her window sill would be more than enough proo...

Keiko gasped, scrambling off her bed as she misjudged the space left on the bed as her hand purchased on nothing but air, sending her tumbling off the bed and onto the tile floor, the IV snapping from her arm. Keiko hissed in pain as she had landed in an awkward position on the ground, the IV whipping around in the air, splashing clear liquid onto the bed and the walls. Her feet were wiggling above her head and her body twisted at the waist on the floor as she had tried to use her hands to stop cushion her fall at the last second.

"Real graceful." The thief mocked from the window.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Kimiko asked with concern as she approached her father at the entrance. Without the others, Kimiko was free to use her native tongue as she followed her father out of their home and into the car. Kimiko believed they would have been back before the others would wake, but just to be safe she had left a note.

Her father was hesitant to answer. He stalled by starting the engine and pulling onto the main road before glancing at his daughter out of the corner of his eye.

"Papa." Kimiko frowned. "What's so urgent?"

"Kimiko," He sighed as they stopped at a red light. He adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath before he began to explain. "Last night there was a break-in at the office."

"Break-in?" Kimiko repeated incredulously. "By who?"

"When did you get here?" Her father suddenly asked, avoiding her question.

Kimiko was caught off guard. She blinked at her father in surprise, but soon answered his question. "Really late last night, but I never really checked the time of when we got here. Why?"

"You didn't get a chance to contact anyone?" He continued.

"No, I--are you mad that I didn't call to tell you I was home?" Kimiko asked in amazement. "Papa, I had something important to do and--"

"No, no." Her father quickly interrupted, shaking his head in the slightest, but kept his eyes on the road. "That's not what I meant. Did you call any of your friends?"

"No." Kimiko's frown deepened, confusion etching itself onto her features. "Why?"

Her father remained silent. Minutes stretched by as Kimiko fixed a hard glare on him. He remained oblivious of her gaze, or at least he pretended not to notice as he pulled into the parking lot of the Tohomiko building. He parked and turned off the engine, but neither of them moved to exit the car.

"Papa?" Kimiko asked quietly as she felt her stomach start to turn. "What's wrong?"

"There's something I have to show you." He sighed as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, looking every bit of an aged father than she realized. Kimiko could feel the dread building up within her stomach as the anxiety she felt moved up to her chest and clenched around her heart, making her feel light-headed.

"You might be able to give us an explanation." He told her as he opened the car door.

* * *

Keiko continued to stare at the wall, unable to pull herself back up as she willed the pain to fade away. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to relax her body as she rested her legs on the bed and shifted so that she now lay on her back. She exhaled out audibly, thinking to herself that she had merely fallen off the bed because she tended to roll in her sleep and that the thief she pictured on the window sill was a figment from her subconscious due to the trauma she had received only hours before. Everything would be just fine...

"Hey! You're not dead, are you?"

... or not.

Keiko slowly opened her eyes and by her peripheral vision she could see a figure standing on her left. Keiko turned her head, her cheek pressing down on the tiled floor as she saw one of the ones responsible for her current condition standing only a few feet away, looking at her as if _she _was the strange one.

Jack Spicer stood in the hospital room of Keiko Nagatsuka in all his pride and glory, meaning the ugly cuts and bruises he received from his 'attack' during the incident at the Tohomiko building. In the light, Keiko was able to get a good look at him. He was definitely taller with a very shocking hair color that she could hardly believe to be natural. He placed a gloved hand onto the bed railing as he leaned on it, placing the other one on his hip as he stared at her with, she could hardly believe it, but _red_ eyes. Dressed in a black coat that ended just before his knees. The most striking thing was the eyeliner placed under his eyes with a curved line coming from the mark beneath his left eye as well as the yellow-lensed goggles.

"That's a nice way to ask if I'm all right which, by the way, I am not." Keiko answered in English for his benefit as she swung her legs over the bed and onto the floor. She pushed herself off the floor and into a kneeling position. Her body was starting to feel heavy and her mind foggy, but she wasn't about to fall asleep in the presence of some crazy thief.

"Are you here to finish the job?" Keiko said after a long moment of silence as she tilted her head to look up at the boy before her.

"Job? Yeah, sure." Jack answered after a pause. Technically he was there to finish the job that he had taken upon himself, but he didn't realize what Keiko was actually referring to. Keiko immediately raised her hand up to her neck as she stared at Jack with a mixture of emotions in her eyes. She didn't know whether to be frightened or angry.

"How did you find me?" Keiko demanded, grabbing the side of the bed to pull herself up on her feet.

Jack blinked, recalling the events that lead him here.

* * *

_Jack was breathing heavily as he rested on a rooftop of a building a good distance away from the Tohomiko building. He sat with the stolen items resting in his lap, not even bothering to see if he had a decent haul or not. The encounter with the girl was unexpected, but nothing he couldn't handle until _Katnappé _had chosen to show up. _

_He flopped onto his back, pounding both of his fists on either side of him, only to raise them back up to his chest, hissing in pain. He brought them up to the face, seeing the scratches he had received from the scuffle, but they were minor wounds. _

_He was bruised and battered and he it wasn't as if he was in fighting condition when he had started this project. He mentally cursed Katnappé for sticking her nose into his business and his luck for being able to pick the absolute worst place _and _time to make a heist. _

_He stayed there only for a few minutes before heading off to his jet in the park. He couldn't remember exactly where he left it and with it so dark it would be near impossible to find, but the watch on his wrist would be able to lead him to it, if it hadn't gotten scraped during the fight._

_Luckily the watch worked fine and soon he was in the comfort of his own jet, dumping the items onto his control panel as he fell back on his chair. He closed his eyes, his arms dangling over the sides of the chair as he took a moment to rest his aching body and catch his breath._

_The next thing he knew there was a ringing coming from his chest and sunlight was streaming through the foliage of the vegetation hiding his vehicle._

_Jack shot up, patting down his coat as the ringing continued, sounding vaguely familiar. He felt a lump and immediately pulled it out. A small silver flip phone continued to ring in his hand, the small rectangular screen lighting up with the same symbols he couldn't understand. He briefly debated what to do, knowing it was the phone he had taken from the girl. He wondered if it was her calling to demand it back or possibly to threaten him with bodily harm for taking it. Maybe even a combination of both. _

_He swallowed hard as he flipped it open. He tensed when he heard a familiar voice._

_"Hello? Keiko? It's me, Kimiko."_

_Jack nearly dropped the phone. He fumbled to keep it from hitting the ground, his heart was pounding in his ears and his stomach was turning. He had stolen the phone from someone who was _friends_ with Kimiko? Kimiko as in the Xiaolin apprentice who were always getting in Jacks way? The world can work in mysterious ways. _

Maybe it's a different Kimiko, _Jack thought as he placed the phone close to his ear. When he was fumbling with it earlier he must have pressed the button that controlled the volume because a moment later Jack nearly dropped it again as his ears began to ring. He could hear the phone from its place on his lap as he stuck a finger in his ear in an attempt to clear it. _

_"... have to understand! ... I have just as much right as you do to be angry. ... If you want to keep up with this, this_...

_Jack blinked in surprise, glancing down at the phone as he lowered his hand. There was a good chance that this was the Kimiko he knew. He recognized her voice and it helped that she spoke some of her rant in English . There seemed to be something going on between the two. He picked up the phone and held it a few inches away from his ear, curious at the sudden silence on the other end of the phone and wondered if she had hung up._

_"... Keiko." _

_Jack couldn't understand what Kimiko was saying, but he did catch the name. He knew it would be suspicious if _Keiko_ didn't answer and reviewed his options quickly. He could try and disguise his voice, but that was really out of the question. He couldn't remember what she sounded like (of course that was the _real_ problem) but this opened up an idea to him._

_Without a second thought Jack snapped the phone shut, efficiently ending the call. He could only hope that Kimiko wouldn't attempt to call again. _

_"So they're friends." Jack said aloud, a strange look in his eyes as he stared at the phone. He winced at the sunlight glaring at him through the windshield of his jet, raising the hand holding the phone to cover his eyes as he let the new information sink into his mind. _

_If it were Kimiko of the Xiaolin warriors that had just called, then Keiko could prove to be a valuable tool. Who knew what Kimiko could have told her or what things Keiko could know about the dragon of fire? With the proper _incentive_ Jack could have her reveal all that he needed to know in order to ensure Kimiko's defeat and if one dragon fell, usually the rest would be caught off guard and it would be simple to take the rest of them. Not to mention, if he had a hostage situation that could also work to his advantage. _

_Jack was grinning at his own brilliance as he started up his jet. _

_It wasn't hard for Jack to find out where Keiko was. He was able to hack into the security logs at the Tohomiko building after he removed all traces of the virus he had put in that could lead back to him. He snorted at the clips he fast-forwarded through of various floors, including one of a few of the guards sitting in the control room and watching the monitors. People referred to him as an idiot, but could an idiot really be able to fool such a high level of security with a simple virus he had created?_

_It goes to show that Jack was a formidable foe when he wasn't full of himself and he was actually focused on the task at hand._

_Jack passed through clips until he found the one that he was looking for. He watched the file as a group of policemen were crawling all over the twenty-first floor. Jack tapped his fingers against the panel impatiently, leaning over to speed the process until he saw a group of men dressed in white with white helmets, a cacophony of noise filling the floor as they bent down to the floor and lifted up a figure onto a stretcher. Jack spotted the familiar messenger bag dangling off the side and immediately followed their line of progression. _

_Jack switched to the camera in the lobby, spotting an ambulance outside the entrance doors. He switched to the camera just outside the building, zooming in on the side of the vehicle as he focused on the symbols. He couldn't read them so he cut off the feed and did the next best thing. He did a search of all the hospital closest in the area. There was a lengthy list of names, but the closest one was only about ten kilometers away. He plugged in the coordinates and hoped that his luck was about to change._

_

* * *

_

"I thought you could understand English." Keiko shot at him as she sat on the bed. Her irritation was covering her fear as she waited for him to answer as he had remained quiet for a long time.

"What?" Jack blinked, breaking out of his reverie. He then scowled as he caught onto her remark and quickly answered her earlier question. "I figured after how much we scared you, you'd have to end up in some hospital."

"After you _scared_ me?" Keiko repeated in amazement. "You nearly cut off my head!"

"Details, details." Jack waved his hand carelessly. Keiko could only look at him, aghast at how he could just wave off her brush with death as if they were talking about the weather.

"Details!" She shrieked.

Jack jumped over to her, clamping a hand over her mouth as he made shushing noises. She bit his hand and Jack jumped away, shaking it as tears welled up in his eyes.

"This whole place is covered with police, okay? They're keeping an eye on your room so keep it down."

"Police?" Keiko repeated, confusion replacing her anger. She blinked at him in surprise. Why would police be here at the hospital? Around her room? Why would they--

Keiko was struck by realization as she gave Jack a smug look. "I see. So if I scream, you could be caught, right here. Right now."

"You think so?" Jack sneered.

"Of course they will." Keiko said with indignation and some confusion. She stood up, brandishing a finger at him. "You're the criminal that's in the room of a very valuable witness. With me, they'll be able to put you away for the break-in at the Tohomiko building."

"What makes you think they'll take the word of a little girl?" Jack scoffed.

Keiko grounded her teeth together, but she answered. "I know the daughter of Tohomiko Toshirou and she will believe me."

"So you _are_ Kimiko's friend." Jack said with glee, but a second later he was flat on his back with the pole holding the IV bag pressed against his collarbone. Unprepared for the attack he struggled, but he was alarmed to find that the hospitalized girl was stronger than she looked. Her eyes were burning and her mouth was twisted in a snarl.

"First you put my through the worst night of my life. You nearly get me killed and _ruin my hair_ and now you're saying her name so familiarly." Keiko gripped the metal bar even tighter and pushed it against the boy beneath her.

"Who are you?"

Jack managed to get one foot between them and with some force he kicked her off. Keiko was thrown to the side, wincing as she held her stomach. The next moment Jack was standing over, his eyes narrowed at his mouth set in an angry scowl.

"I'm Jack Spicer, evil boy genius and I'm closer to Kimiko than you think." His mouth twisted into a smile as he bent over to Keiko's eye level as the girl struggled to the door. He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her onto her feet, swinging her towards the bed where she fell with a soft thump.

She sat up just as Jack brought a chair over, spun it around and plopped down as he rested his arms on the back of it.

"Let's talk."

* * *

**AN:** Again, thank you to **krystalmaze **and **Egglette. **As for the pairing question, well earlier I mentioned that this focuses on friendship, but that doesn't mean there won't be any romance. To tell you the truth I'm a little wary about touching on relationships, but I'm a hopeless romantic at heart so there's no way I can't write in some, sorry if that's a problem. I can't give a solid answer about pairings, but I am going to throw in triangles, or rectangles, whatever works at the time and unrequited love and jealous love (?) might make an appearance. I'm also going to make fun of some pairings, but it's all in good fun, I hope I don't end up offending anyone later. So, yes, this story will have pairings, technically speaking, but I'm going to **try **and stay away from the typical sort of romance pieces I've been seeing.

I also glad that some of you believe that I'm keeping them in character (so far). That really makes me happy because I really am anal about that, I really can't read something with characters that are, well, not in character. I was a little worried because, next to Clay, Omi is one of the hardest to write with his mangled sayings and Clay's really strange metaphors. Let's hope I don't ruin this story.


	6. Caught In The Act: Revelations

**AN**: I finally got a chance to see a few more episodes and I realize that some things are shown about the Tohomiko skyscraper, but I tweaked it a lot, so it's a little different, but think of it this way. If it really bothers you, just see it as they renovated the building. Other than that, enjoy? Sorry, I've kind of been busy so if this chapter doesn't seem well written, it's probably not with everything that's going on. This week has been particularly busy for me.

**Author Rant:** I'm really freaking out right now because the fanfiction site would not let me upload this document and I'm not sure why or if it's just me, but I've been trying all day and it just won't go through. I found a way around it, so hopefully this works, but I really hope the problem is fixed next time. I'm so resourceful :) (Not so much... :x)

Thanks goes out at the top of the chapter this time, yay! I figure it would be better this way. Thank you to **Egglette** for your review and you're right, pairings will get more readers (if they enjoy those pairings) but right now I don't want to say what they are, I thought it would be more fun if you all just read and discover them on your own. Bad idea? I'm glad you're getting into it and it's always an honor for anyone to favor my story, so I understand how you would want to wait until you find my story acceptable enough to favorite it, it may seem all right now, but I might screw up later on down the line (just like a movie where it has a good beginning, but a bad ending, it totally ruins it! Or something along those lines.) Thank you to **krystalmaze**, I'm glad you think there's a lot of action in my story, I was hoping it wasn't getting boring or that the scenes were a little lame. I'm also glad you sympathize with Keiko, she has had a rough night and I'm surprised you find Jack evil so far, I thought he was pretty subdued for now, let's see how evil he can be later on! Thank you to **sianypie** for favoring my story as well as commenting, I really appreciate your comment. I'm glad you feel that they're in character because it really is starting to get harder to write them, mostly Clay because I'm not very knowledgeable on cowboys. Also, thank you to **Cara the Jack Fan**, for favoring my story, you and sianypie are really taking a risk with my story, you may change your mind as the story goes on :x Hopefully not, but thank you both :) I'm glad the story line is new to you, I hope it meets up to everyone's expectations.

** Disclaimer**: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. I realize I do claim ownership to other characters I made up.

* * *

**Caught in the Act (Revelations)**

**

* * *

**

Kimiko followed her father out of the parking structure and into the lobby that was crowded with police officers. Many were inspecting the floor, including the security cameras and a frightened looking secretary who had been at the office the night the break-in occurred. Kimiko was staring hard at the men and women in blue uniforms with their white gloves and uniform hats as they scribbled down notes and took pictures. One of the officers sensed her gaze and glanced over at her, causing Kimiko to look away sharply, her hands clenching into the material of her jacket as she stepped into the elevator after her father, the doors cutting off the noises from the lobby as they closed shut.

Her father pressed the button for the twenty-first floor, causing the elevator to jump to life as it ascended upward. The digital numbers flashed by on the small rectangular screen above the double metal doors. Kimiko looked over at her father as they waited to reach their destination. She expected him to say something, explain the situation, give her some kind of hint. She wanted him to reassure her of her fears and tell her everything was going to be all right.

Even if it turned out to be a lie.

However, her father remained quiet. Kimiko felt the dread starting the build again, her hands clenching into the material of her light blue parka as she closed her eyes, taking deep calming breaths as quietly as possible. She was just over reacting. There had to be a logical reason for her father to take her up here on such short notice, probably about Xiaolin business that he could of recognized and needed her assistance and advice. Maybe it had something to do with the U-bots? A malfunction that went way out of hand or some suspicious activity with his business partners--

The elevator made a high-pitched pinging noise as it stopped on the twenty-first floor. The doors opened promptly. Her father stepped out without hesitation as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Kimiko held back for a moment. She could faintly make out the murmured conversations and the sound of traffic drifting from the corridors. She stepped onto the carpet, the doors snapping shut behind her just as her other foot touched the floor besides the first.

Kimiko removed her hands from her parka, flexing them to help remove the tension. She shook her head once, patted her face in order to pull herself from her worries as she held her head up high and walked down the hall after her father. Even with her mental preparation, Kimiko was more than a little shocked at the scene before her.

"What--" Kimiko gasped, but she didn't have time to finish her exclamation as a police officer brushed her aside, belatedly asking her to move out of the way. Kimiko stumbled, now aware of all the activity as she saw twice as many officers as she did in the lobby taping off the area around the full length windows. One window was being examined thoroughly as a strong gust of wind blowed in continuously, a few officers holding onto their caps as they picked up pieces of glass and spoke to one another in low tones.

Kimiko dodged a few more officers before she started to search for her father, finding him in the middle of the crime scene as he was conversing with someone who seemed to be the superior officer and head of the investigation. Kimiko deftly avoided the police tape and the glass that littered the floor as she made her way to her father's side, catching the last remark from the officer.

"... could find."

"This is very troubling." Her father said in a tired voice as he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with a sigh. He wiped them with a cleaning cloth from his pocket before placing them back on. "Are you sure of this?"

"Yes. We've been able to confirm it with one of the family members."

"All right." Her father said. He and the officer suddenly turned to Kimiko, catching her off guard as she believed that they had been oblivious to her existence. Kimiko couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the harsh stare the officer fixed her with, but her eyes softened when she noticed her father's tired gaze.

"Kimiko." Her father said quietly, but his tone was firm. "There is something you need to see."

"What is it?" Kimiko asked. She was starting to get tired of her father's evasive answers as he and the officer headed back toward the elevator. Kimiko took one last look at the mangled floor, giving each detail a last look before quickly falling in step with the other two men.

They stopped at one of the lower floors, passing many offices and workers that bowed to them in respect. Few officers were already on the floor as Kimiko realized they were heading for the control room where security usually kept watch of the monitors. Kimiko wondered if it had something to do with her duty as a Xiaolin warrior, but she was hesitant to ask in front of the officer.

In the room there were approximately two dozen monitors all around the room. Security glanced as they entered through the doorway, standing up immediately to bow before pulling out three chairs for them to sit in. One of the security guards returned to his seat as he set to control the monitors while the officer began to explain to them what they were about to do.

"As you know, there had recently been a break-in at this very building on the twenty-first floor. We are unsure what the true motive was or how the break-in occurred , but we believe that some answers lie in the videos taken before the estimated time of the break-in." The officer nodded to the security guard as he nodded back, all the screens turning black for a split-second before the lobby could be seen.

Kimiko recognized the lobby as well as the same woman she had seen being interrogated when they had passed by earlier. She was talking to someone, but Kimiko couldn't tell who it was because the person had their back turned to the camera. Their voices were too soft to be heard distinctly on the video, but the woman was apparently waiting for something as the other person opened their bag to give her the folder. They saw the folder being exchanged and then woman returned it. The person on screen turned briefly towards the camera to look at the elevator, but quickly turned away and ran off screen as they heard the sound of the door to the stairway.

The officer nodded again as the security guard pressed a few buttons, the camera angle changing to that of the stairwell as they got a closer look at the person's face. For the longest time Kimiko could only stare at the face as the screen switched from camera to camera as the figure climbed up the stairs. Her eyes were slowly becoming wider by the minute, unaware of her father's gaze as he watched her reaction.

"Keiko!" Kimiko gasped. Kimiko turned to her father sharply, before turning back to the screen, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Why? What's she doing there?"

"As you can see, it is suspicious to see this young girl at the building at this time of night," The officer commented as the security guard cut the feed. "However, it doesn't stop here."

"Wait--" Kimiko said suddenly, but her interruption was ignored as they played another video.

On the screen were all the views from the cameras on the twenty-first floor, but as the security guard fast-forwarded through the tape, nothing unusually could be seen. Kimiko's father was the first to comment as the numbers flashed by in the corner of the screen.

"What are we looking at?" He questioned with a frown. "I see nothing unusual."

"Yes. That is what is unusual." The officer said grimly. "The crime clearly happened in this period of time on this floor, according to the evidence found, but the tape catches _nothing_. It is a very elaborate job for someone to be able to trick the system to believe that it is actually filming the assigned floor. It is actually the floor above it as each floor is almost identical in every way, it is almost impossible to tell on the screen, but for someone to be able to fool the system is just as impossible."

"What they stole was quite valuable to our company." Kimiko's father added as he shook his head. "Even our top workers have not touched those items, only a couple of people knew that they were in our possession."

"What was stolen?" Kimiko asked.

"That's not what I wanted you to know." Her father said quickly. He raised a hand over her own, hesitating a moment before patting her own awkwardly. "It's..."

"You knew the girl who appeared on the screen?" The officer interrupted as her father fell silent.

Kimiko turned to give the officer a glare to match his own. Her lips formed into a thin line as she answered his question tightly.

"Yes."

"What sort of relationship do you have with her?"

"Her name's Nagatsuka Keiko." Kimiko said stiffly, feeling her anger rising at the officer's tone. She glanced at her father, but he refused to meet her gaze. She turned back to the officer before her before answering the question with a hint of sadness. "She's my best friend."

"Is that so?" The officer asked flatly.

"What does this have to do with her?" Kimiko asked angrily. She was preparing herself for the worst as she let her temper go. All that time at the temple training, meditating, practicing... It was all going to waste as she used her anger to cover the fear the was starting to grow within her.

"Keiko is in the hospital right now." Her father interrupted.

Immediately Kimiko's anger dwindled to nothing as her fear took over. She looked at her father, her eyes widening as she gaped at him momentarily.

"Hospital?" She repeated in disbelief. "Hospital!"

"She's all right." He said quickly, placing his hands on her shoulders to calm her. "Don't worry, it isn't life threatening. Keiko's going to be fine."

"Really?" Kimiko calmed down fractionally as she let her shoulders slowly relax as she stared at her father. "She was hurt? She got caught up in the break-in?"

"That's what we believe." The officer said quietly, causing Kimiko to refocus her gaze on him. "Right now she's in the hospital recovering. We have officers watching over her right now. At the scene we were able to find her unconscious and take her in for treatment."

Kimiko looked at the officer for a few moments before her eyes lit up in understanding. "Because she's a key witness! I get it. Keiko saw the robbers and now you're keeping an eye on her--"

"Not exactly." The officer cut her off. Kimiko blinked as a frown made it's way on to her face, her brows furrowed in confusion as she glanced at her father in questioning. Her father had chosen that moment to turn his gaze elsewhere, slowly removing his hands as he sat back in his chair, giving Kimiko an un-obscured view of the officer.

"Then..." Kimiko trailed off, giving her father one last look, before matching the officer's gaze. "What is it?"

"Nagatsuka Keiko is the prime suspect for the burglary."

* * *

"You're crazy." Keiko told him flatly as she leaned on the palms of her hands pressing onto the bed. 

"You really think so?" Jack asked excitedly. "Evil genius crazy? Does it scare you?"

Keiko couldn't bring herself to answer for a long time but she eventually forced out an answer.

"No."

Jacks shoulders slumped as he pouted.

"I was thinking more along the lines of idiotic crazy. I will give you my pity."

Jack looked furious for a second, but his countenance gave away to a thoughtful expression as he arched an eyebrow.

"Where have I heard that before..." He asked aloud, forgetting Keiko for the moment.

Keiko realized he was asking himself and could only shake her head as she straightened up on the bed and let out a heavy sigh. She was starting to feel light-headed and her body was starting to become sluggish which proved to be something to worry about. She was alone in a room with a crazy teenage boy who could easily overpower her if she didn't stay alert and after last nights display, she wasn't about to take any chances with him.

"Pity, pity..." Jack was mumbling to himself with his thumb and forefinger to his chin as he struggled to recall the memory.

The Japanese teenager weighed her options as her senses were starting to dull which could only mean that her reflexes were going to be cut in half and a major handicap if she had to perform another act like she did last night. Jack Spicer was mumbling to himself as he searched his memories which Keiko could have taken as the perfect opportunity to take him by surprise and even call for help, but it seemed her body didn't want to listen to her mind as she remained on seated on the bed. She looked down at her lap, disgusted with her current behavior.

Just as she was going to resign herself to stick with buying some time until the nurse came back, Keiko caught sight of a small white control with a button that could prove to be her savior.

_ The call button!_

Keiko felt her spirits lift as she saw that it was within arms length and darted a glance at the boy before her.

"That's right!" Jack snapped his fingers in an exaggerated motion. "Chase said that to me when... he chose Katnappé as his..."

His expression immediately turned sour. Keiko decided it was time for a distraction as her eyes gazed at the device for a brief moment to judge the distance, before going back to the thief to disguise her ulterior motive.

"The girl from last night?" Keiko asked him, looking nonchalant as she swung her feet lightly from the over the edge of the bed, keeping her gaze on the floor.

Jack seemed surprise by Keiko's question. His arms slipped from the back of the chair, but he quickly regained his composure.

"What?" He squeaked and mentally cursed himself as he cleared his throat. This time in his 'normal' tone he repeated himself, "What?"

"That's her name, isn't it? Katnappé?" Keiko stilled her feet as she tilted her head to look around the room, her gaze pointing over her shoulder and then refocusing on Jack. "Where is she? I thought you both had the same goals. Or do you always fight that fiercely whenever you meet?"

"Goal?" Jack repeated, his brows furrowing in confusion. "How would she know abou--Oh! Oh, right. You're talking about last night. Yeah! Yeah, I guess I'm just one step ahead of a fur-ball like her."

"What?" Now it was Keiko's turned to look confused. She forgot about her own goal in that moment. "What did you think I was talking about?"

"So, you look well." Jack told her quickly, trying to cover up for his careless slip. He had actually forgotten about last night's incident after his recent discovery. However, Jack wasn't the smoothest of operators and his attempt to change the focus of the conversation was only adding oil to the fire.

Keiko could only stare at him, speechless. Slowly she digested his words as she took in his look of forced indifference even as he began to sweat, but she knew it wasn't because he felt any obligation to her injuries. She set her mouth into a tight smile, her lips turning white as she added pressure to them to keep herself from doing anything drastic. Belatedly, Jack seemed to realize his mistake as his face blanched as he finally took full notice of her appearance and connected it to last nights events.

"Thank you." Keiko said in an even voice as she closed her eyes. She opened them slowly and fixed him an angry glare as she licked her lips, preparing herself for her next move. "I was afraid hospital chic would cramp my style, but I pull it off well, don't you think?"

"Yeah, totally." Jack whole-heartedly agreed as he failed to pick up the signs of danger she was throwing out at him.

_Smooth_, Jack congratulated himself as he relaxed.

"Earlier, you said the police were here." Keiko was able to keep her temper, but she couldn't stop herself from snapping when he failed to answer right away. "Right?"

"Yes!" Jack replied quickly, due to his tendency to be around people (most of them female) who tended to give off a frightening aura as they were able to cause him bodily harm which programmed him to answer anyone who yelled at him, promptly. He quickly shook his head as he knew that this girl wasn't something he had to fear and added suspiciously, "Why?"

"Since we were talking about fashion," Keiko told him as she reached out to the device on the bed. Jack made no move to stop her, which had Keiko wondering just how much of a genius he actually was as she pressed the button that would call for the nurse. "I just thought that you'd probably be able to pull off prison chic."

"Prison chic?" Jack frowned at her response and was about to ask her what she meant when he realized she was holding down a button and everything clicked together in his mind.

Not knowing what to do, Jack relied on instinct and lunged himself at the girl.

Keiko was expecting him to figure out, sooner or later. She was hoping that it would he been after the nurse burst in with police officers following her, but she didn't expect him to actually _tackle_ her.

"You are insane!" Keiko gasped in pain as Jack had bumped his head against hers as he managed to roll them towards the other end of the bed, away from the device. However, it was too late and she knew the nurse would be arriving at any moment. With that in mind, she glanced at the open window, then back to the boy on top of her and gripped onto his coat.

"You've made a big mistake." Jack snarled at her angrily. He quickly realized he was nearly shouting and looked over at the door. He looked back at the struggling girl beneath him. "Look, you have to hear me out--"

"Sure. Let's have a nice, civil conversation with your knee digging into one of my kidneys." Keiko hissed through clenched teeth.

Jack blinked, but quickly removed his knee so that he was straddling her, one of his hands supporting his weight as he used it to hold her down on the bed by her left shoulder, while her right hand was clenched around the collar of his coat.

"It's about Kimiko." He said, ignoring her glare as he rushed on. "What I have to tell you is about Kimiko. I have a message from her!"

Keiko loosened her grip on him fractionally, ceasing her struggle as she stared at him skeptically.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Keiko said, her attitude changing at the mention of her best friend.

Jack used the hand that wasn't holding her down to reach into his coat. Keiko's grip immediately slackened her hold on him, reaching for the object in his hand.

Her cell phone.

Jack pulled it out of her reach as he sat up on his heels, Keiko grabbing onto his arms as she was too tired from their struggle to sit up on her own. He placed it back in his coat. Keiko stared at the spot where he pocketed her phone.

At their sudden silence the noises all around them were sharp in their ears, including the sound of the distinct clicking of heels against the tiled floors only seconds away from the door.

Jack and Keiko locked gazes, Jacks expression that of apprehension while Keiko matched it with her own troubled gaze.

The clicking of the heels stopped and the distorted figure of the nurse could be seen through the window on the door.

* * *

Raimundo was rudely awaken as sunlight streamed through the small crack the curtains left as they had been hastily shut closed. In his sleep he must have rolled over into the light. It warmed his entire face which was already warm enough in the sweltering room. For the most part the room was casted in semi-darkness, but with no circulation of air it was starting to heat up as the day went on. Raimundo sat up with a moan, rubbing the sweat from his brow as he fanned the yukata, or summer kimono made of light cotton material, against his chest. He sleepily rubbed his eyes, pulling his hand down his entire face as he looked around the room with a bleary-eyed gaze. 

_Since I'm up, I might as well go_... Raimundo thought to himself, still half-asleep as he stumbled to his feet, using the wall for support. He stretched out his limbs, giving himself a bit of a head rush as the world spun for a moment, his mouth opening in a jaw-cracking yawn as he made to reach for the ceiling before slumping back down. He looked around the room, but he was unable to locate the door and made a wild guess of the direction it was in. He took a step forward, and then another as he stumbled across the room in search of the bathroom.

Clay was normally a heavy sleeper and after last nights escapade he was in a sleep that should have been deeper than usual. It would probably have taken more than a stampede of bulls to wake him up, but Raimundo seemed to manage to awaken the slumbering cowboy.

Clay jolted awake with a cry of pain, his nose throbbing and his eye watering. Raimundo had managed to step on Clays face. It caused the Brazilian boy to lose his balance, adding more pressure as he struggled to keep his footing. In doing so he had nearly broken Clay's nose and dug his toe into the cowboy's right eye,(luckily it was closed) but Raimundo's attempts were wasted as he careened over and smacked his noggin right against Omi's.

Omi awoke with yell of pain as he too jolted upwards, a bad move as he knocked his forehead against Raimundo's which sent both boys into another series of cries. Raimundo rolled over away from the two boys, all three of them clutching their faces in agony.

During all the commotion, Dojo had been sleeping near Omi's head. He was rudely awakened when Omi flailed around in pain, smacking the small dragon on the back.

"Wha--woah--where's the fire?" Dojo cried out, his head turning sharply in every direction as he tried to gain his bearings.

Clay was the first to recover as he focused his uninjured eye on the boy rolling on the ground at his feet.

"Dagnabbit, Rai!" Clay exclaimed as he searched for his hat that had fallen during the accident. He shoved it over his cow-licked hair, narrowing his single blue eye in anger. "What in blue blazes were you trying to do? Blind me?"

Raimundo was cursing in his native tongue as he roughly rubbed the tears on his face. He managed to open his eyes, blinking them to clear them of his remaining tears as he squinted for Clay's bulky form in the darkness.

"Well, what's your Texas sized butt doing in right in front of the doorway?" Raimundo countered, now fully awake. Before Clay could give an angry retort, Omi cut him off.

"Raimundo has attempted to blind me as well, and he has succeeded!" Omi added, ending his exclamation on a yell as he waved his hands frantically in front of himself. "Where are you? Clay? Raimundo! What have you done! Are we not friends?"

Raimundo took a deep breath as the throbbing headache began to build at Omi's panicking. He stumbled to his feet, ignoring Omi's cries of distress and agony as he felt around the room for the door or the light switch, whichever he found first.

"Lil' buddy?" Clay asked him calmly before continuing on. "The light's off."

Omi seemed to hear Clay's response as the room became silent except for Raimundo, who continued to feel the walls.

"If there is no light that would explain why I am unable to see you, Clay." Omi pointed out the obvious, but his tone was filled with relief. "That would mean that there is nothing wrong with me! Except for this large and rather painful bump on my forehead."

"Yeah, and I've got a matching one." Raimundo mumbled as he gave up on the light switch or finding the door, instead making his way over to the curtains where he roughly pulled them apart to let in the sunlight. Clay, Omi and Dojo groaned, unprepared for the sudden change in lighting as they held their hands above their eyes, squinting to see Raimundo's form. Dojo made his way towards Clay, slithering up his sleeve and under his hat, blocking out the light to curl up and back to sleep.

Raimundo nearly grinned when he spotted the door, ignoring the other two as they complained and angrily told him off for their rude awakening. All he cared about at the moment was a quick trip to relieve his bladder. He would deal with everything else afterwards.

Raimundo pulled open the door only to reveal Kimiko standing in the doorway. He blinked in surprise, then offered a weak grin.

"Sorry, did we wake you?" He laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at the floor, expecting Kimiko to start berating them for making a ruckus and keeping her awake. He waited for Kimiko to start yelling or even hit him, but he was only met with silence. Curiously, Raimundo looked at Kimiko's face.

He didn't notice before, but Kimiko was dressed in the same clothes they had seen her in last night. He was about to brush it off, thinking Kimiko had been so tired she had merely fallen asleep without changing, but what sparked his concern was the expression on her face. Kimiko was staring at him with glassy eyes, her gaze unfocused and her lips parted as if she were about to say something, but they only closed soundlessly.

"Kimiko?" Raimundo asked hesitantly, waving a hand in front of her face.

Kimiko blinked, her eyes focusing on him, but her eyes still looked glassy. Alarmed by her strange behavior, Raimundo was about to inquire about what was wrong, but Omi beat him to it.

"Is something wrong, Kimiko?"

Kimiko realized she was just standing there and quickly shook her head, licking her lips. She tried to form words, but she felt her voice fail her. She shook her head again, swallowing hard before she gave them a forced smile.

"Sorry to bother you guys. Did you get enough sleep?" Kimiko asked cheerfully as she looked over at Clay and Omi. Before they could answer, she quickly moved on. "I know you guys are tired, but I think we should be getting back to the temple soon. Master Fung is probably wondering where we are."

"Master Fung?" Dojo poked his head out from Clay's hat, blinking sleepily. He snapped awake, the full weight of Kimiko's words hitting him. "The Shen Gong Wu! That's right, we have to tell Master Fung about this."

"Can't it wait until morning?" Raimundo whined as he shifted on his feet uncomfortably. The urge to relieve himself was growing, but the expression on Kimiko's kept him in his place.

"It is morning, Rai." Kimiko gave him a weak smile.

"I meant after we get our rest, I'm still beat." Raimundo corrected himself, wincing at his earlier comment. He was trying to break Kimiko's gloomy mood, but it only served to worsen it as she nodded.

"I know, but Dojo's right. You guys should head back to the temple and rest there."

"I reckon you're right." Clay agreed, fighting back a yawn as he pulled off the blanket and got up onto his feet.

"I agree. Master Fung will be most concerned by our news and it may be of utmost importance to inform him as soon as possible." Omi nodded as he shoved his hands into his sleeves, his eyes closed.

"I guess that makes sense--wait." Raimundo blinked and looked at Kimiko. "_You guys_? What do you mean by that? Aren't you coming with us?"

This gained the attention of the rest of them as Kimiko was put on the spot. Kimiko attempted to smile and wave them off, but their expressions told her that they weren't about to just let it go. She quickly decided to change her response, her mouth curling into a scowl as her eyes narrowed in irritation.

"I have something to do." She told them shortly.

"Like what?" Raimundo pried, ignoring her hint.

Kimiko's gaze darkened with anger as she pushed out through clenched teeth, "That's none of your business."

Clay, Omi, and Dojo glanced at each other in confusion as Raimundo arched an eyebrow at her response. Kimiko took a deep breath, releasing it as soundlessly as possible as she spoke in a calmer voice.

"Please, just go ahead without me."

"But Kimiko, how will you get back to the temple?" Omi questioned with a frown.

"I'll catch a plane." Kimiko said.

All boys exchanged a glance with one another before they opened their mouths to argue, but they were cut off before a sound could escape their lips.

"That's a fine idea." Kimiko's father agreed as he appeared behind his daughter. "I will take care of the arrangements."

Kimiko nodded once and offered the others one last smile before she headed to her room, taking with her the heavy shadow the had befallen her expression. Her father watched as she walked down the hall before turning to the perplexed faces of the others. He could see the questions in their eyes and knew that he would not be able to give them the answers they were seeking.

"It is not my place to tell you what has transpired in the last few hours, but I will say that it is Kimiko's choice whether she wants to share it with you or not." Her father held the gaze of each boy for a few seconds. "Respect her wishes."

A tense silence followed after Kimiko's father left, his foot steps fading down the hall. Questions unanswered and their confusion building, they could only look to each other as they stood in the room wondering what could have happened while they had been asleep.

* * *

It was a split second decision for Keiko to make as the door shuddered in its place. They heard the sound of keys clicking together as it was put into the lock. Keiko grabbed Jack by the shoulders, giving him one last hard look before she pushed him off the bed and over the other side, away from the door. Jack hit the ground with a thump and was pushed under the bed so quickly he barely had time to breath, unable to utter a sound. He found himself staring at the bottom of Keiko's bed and then he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Keiko had moved the blanket over the side to hide Jack from view, her legs following suit just as he heard the door open. 

He saw the shadow of the nurse move across the floor from the space between the sheet and the floor, involuntarily curling up into a smaller position as his whole body tensed. Every time the heels of the nurse hit the tiled floor, it echoed through his mind and set every nerve on edge. He was helpless there under the bed, unable to do a thing. His fate would be in the hands of a distraught teenage girl only a foot above his head. The very one he had nearly maimed.

_I'm screwed_, Jack thought grimly.

Keiko made one last tug at the sheet, her head jerking up to lock gazes with the nurse as soon as the door opened. The nurse stared at her in surprise for a few moments before she broke into a kind smile and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" The nurse asked as she stopped in front of the young girl.

For a long time Keiko couldn't think of anything. She opened her mouth, but soon closed it as she was unable to form a sentence. Instead, she offered a sheepish smile as the nurse waited for her patiently.

"I'll just help you get settled into bed--" The nurse began as she reached for the bed sheet.

Keiko's mind was kicked into action as she quickly squeaked out one word.

"Water!"

The nurse pulled away. "I'm sorry?"

"Water," Keiko coughed lightly, clearing her throat. "I would like some water."

The nurse looked at the girl with a blank expression before looking at the bed side table, the pitcher still full. Keiko mentally winced at her request, but kept her smile in place.

"I'll see what I can do." The nurse said gently as she placed on another smile. She walked over to the pitcher and picked it up, her heels clacking against the tiled floor as she pulled open the door and closed it behind her, the lock jiggling back into place.

Keiko waited a few moments, her shoulders tensing as she expected the nurse to burst back in with a team of police officers ready for action.

"What happened?"

Keiko couldn't stop the short scream that escaped her. She clamped a hand over her mouth as Jack appeared beneath her, his head sticking out from under the bed. Keiko glanced over at the door for a moment. There was no movement near the door, only the usual murmur of the activities on the hospital floor. Keiko lowered her hand, glaring over at Jack as he gave her a sheepish smile, slowly sliding back under the bed.

Keiko sighed as she leaned over the side of the bed, lifting the sheet up so she could see him. "Is what you said earlier true?"

"What?" Jack looked dumbfounded by her question and took a wild guess. "That I have no idea what just happened?"

"No!" Keiko snapped. "You said you had a message for me."

"I did?" Jack blinked.

Keiko gave him a look and Jack quickly realized his mistake.

"Right! Message." Jack recalled his earlier statement. _Technically_ it was the truth. He did get a call from Kimiko that was meant for Keiko, despite the fact that it wasn't meant for his ears. "From Kimiko, right. Yeah, she called."

Keiko looked at him expectantly, but Jack only smiled at her. Starting to become irritated, she pressed on, "And?"

"And," Jack paused for dramatic effect, but Keiko only continued to give him a look of impatience. His smile faltered in the slightest, but his grin returned, "She's here in the city."

Jack wasn't sure what sort of reaction to expect from the Japanese girl, but he had hoped it would work to his advantage. However, he was expecting _some _sort of reaction from her. Keiko seemed to have a different idea as she fixed him with a blank stare. Then, she pulled herself up from the edge of the bed and sat in a more comfortable position on the bed.

There was a long moment of silence that followed. It unnerved Jack as he wasn't in the most compromising of positions, huddled beneath the bed with police covering every corner of the floor of the hospital just outside the door. He felt he had enough as he opened his mouth to break the silence, but Keiko beat him to it.

"When did she get here?"

"Ah?" Jack looked up at the under side of the bed. He turned his gaze towards the shadows of her legs through the bed sheet as they dangled over the side. "Late last night? Not sure..."

"She probably knows about last night?" Keiko asked, but her tone made it seem that she already knew the answer.

"Probably." Jack shrugged even though she would not see the action.

"She didn't come to see me?" Keiko whispered so softly Jack almost didn't catch it.

"What?" He was caught off guard by her tone.

"Why would she be here?" Keiko asked loudly instead to cover up her earlier question.

"Funny you should ask," Jack began, easily forgetting the change in her tone. "There's something that--"

Jack didn't get to finish as the lock rattled and the door opened. Both teens, only one visible to the nurse, tensed up at her sudden entrance.

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes." Keiko said stiffly, forcing out a smile. "I'm just fine!"

"I thought I heard voices--" The nurse stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Right." Keiko agreed quickly. "I was talking to myself."

There was a long moment of silence, but the nurse didn't seem very surprised by the admission as she handed Keiko a cup.

"It's a good way to relieve stress." Keiko winced at the words coming out of her mouth, but she couldn't stop herself. "I'm a little tired."

"Well, I'm glad you've found a way to help relieve your stress." The nurse said calmly. "But perhaps you should just try and get some rest. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, I'm fine." Keiko said quickly. The nurse nodded, but continued to stand at Keiko's side. After a few moments, Keiko realized the nurse was waiting for her to drink from her cup. Again, she couldn't help but feel uneasy at the gaze that was pressed upon her, but nevertheless she raised the cup to her lips and started to drink.

Just as she was draining the cup, Jack was fighting a tickle that he knew all too well begin in his nose. His eyes were watering as he held a hand over his nose, but his head was already leaning back as his mouth opened to let out the inevitable.

"_Achoo!_"

Keiko choked on her water, spitting it onto the floor and her hospital gown. The nurse gave her a strange look and Keiko tried to smile through her hacking coughs as she made to put the cup down only to splash it onto the nurse's uniform.

"I-I'm s-s-so-sor-ry-ry..." Keiko sputtered as the nurse pulled out a small towel from the drawer in the bed side table, handing it to Keiko as she took away the cup in exchange.

"It's quite all right." The nurse said, not at all disgusted by Keiko's display, but disturbed by the way she had sneezed. It didn't even sound like it had come from the young girl. Keiko was just as stunned by the sneeze as the nurse was, shivering as the wet material made contact with her skin as the room was already at a cool temperature. That's when a thought struck her.

"There is something else." Keiko managed to cough out with minimal interruptions. "My clothes? And my bag?"

The nurse hesitated for a second, her eyes widening. She replaced it with a smile so quickly that Keiko wondered if she had imagined the pause.

"We've handed that over to one of your relatives."

"To who?" Keiko looked perplexed.

"Your earlier visitor. Karen."

"I see." Keiko murmured, closing her eyes as she nodded, letting the towel fall on to her lap. "Where is she? Will she be picking me up?"

"Today?" The nurse asked in surprise. "I'm not sure if she will be picking you up, but were certainly not releasing you today. As for where she is, I heard that she went back to that building."

"What? She did?" Keiko blinked, then she was looking at the nurse with wide eyes as her earlier statement sunk in. "You're not releasing me today? I'm not that seriously injured, am I?"

"Of course we want to keep you in for observation," The nurse replied hesitantly, her eyes darting over at the door before locking gazes with the panicking girl. She smiled at her soothingly. "It'll be a few days. Think of it as a little vacation."

Keiko couldn't form a comprehensible reply as she stuttered half-formed protests. The nurse could only smile at her before she left the room, the lock once again being clicked in place as Keiko stared after her.

"A few days!" Keiko finally managed to cry out as she jumped to her feet, pacing the room in a panic. "No, I can't miss a few days. I can't miss classes, exams are coming up!"

Keiko was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see Jack crawl out from under the bed. She had completely forgotten the young boy as she placed one hand to her mouth, mumbling to herself in Japanese as her breathing sped up. Jack watched her pace back and forth, opening his mouth to make an interjection, but each time he tried Keiko would either make a sudden moan of despair and turn away from him sharply. Finally having enough, Jack grabbed Keiko by the shoulders and shook her once.

"Get a hold of yourself, woman!" Jack snapped.

Keiko blinked at him rapidly, as if seeing him for the first time.

"I really don't have time for this." Jack continued, releasing the young girl's shoulders as he crossed his arms over his chest. "So I'll get straight to the point--"

"Time?" Keiko repeated, her eyes widening. Her eyes darted around the room, her anxiety rising when she couldn't locate a clock. She settled on glancing outside to guess the time of day. It was bright out which meant it must be way past morning. "Time! I'm missing school right now! I can't, it's a review day, everything we went over..."

"Wha?" Jack looked at her in surprise. How could someone get worked up over something so small? "Is that all you care about? You have Jack Spicer, evil boy genius, threatening you right now and all you care about is _school_?"

"No. I care about getting _out _of this hospital so I can_ get_ to school." Keiko corrected him calmly. She paused and then added, "And if you call what you're doing 'threatening' you need to work on that."

"Hey! I can be threatening if I want." Jack said defensively, but Keiko was no longer listening as she headed towards the door and tried to open it in order to see if she had a chance of sneaking out. The door shook in place, but stayed closed. Keiko blinked in surprise, trying again with more strength.

It was locked.

Keiko was confused. How could she be locked in her own room? In a hospital? Why would they need to lock a patient in their room? It hadn't hit her before but every time the nurse entered or exited her room, the door was locked or had to be unlocked. Why hadn't she noticed before?

_Oh, that's right. I didn't notice because I was too busy trying to hide the crazy thief that snuck into my room,_ Keiko thought sarcastically. Then another thought occurred to her as she felt uneasy. _What floor_ am_ I on?_

"Locked?" Jack guessed, causing Keiko to break from her thoughts and look over at him sharply. He kept quiet at the look she sent him as she moved away from the door and back over to the bed. "I'm just asking! I mean, if you're like Kimiko with really weak upper body strength and can't even open a door--"

"Don't say her name so familiarly!" Keiko snapped, glaring at him as she continued to pace the room. "Of course it's locked! You really think I so weak I can't do something so simple as opening a door?"

"I'd answer, but you'd probably just want to hit me." Jack said with little tact. The girl looked at him and Jack waved out his hands in front of him in an almost defensive manner. "Wait, wait, let me finish! I told you before I know Kimiko pretty well and I was just asking because I could _un_lock it for you."

"You--" Keiko's anger started fading away. "You could?"

"Yeah." He snorted. "Doesn't _evil boy genius_ mean anything to you?"

"It's the evil part that threw me off when you actually offered to help me." Keiko paused. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because I feel guilty?" He threw out with a shrug, his tone insincere. Keiko stared at him and he grinned. "Ah, we'll get to that later. So you're worried about being trapped in here, aren't you? I can get you out."

Keiko stayed silent. It was one thing to be somehow locked in a hospital room without an explanation, it was another to have to break out of it. Perhaps she was making a big deal out of it, after all, the nurse had come when she called. It wasn't as if she couldn't get what she needed and there was a bathroom right in her room. There really was no need for her to leave, but something felt wrong. She couldn't remember why, but it felt like something was telling her she needed to retrieve her things from her cousin who hadn't even bothered to wait for her to awaken. She was always busy, but wasn't this the first time Keiko had gotten seriously hurt like this? Didn't Karen feel even the slightest bit of obligation or concern because it was her errand that put Keiko here?

"Look, I don't have all day." Jack told her unkindly, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently. "I thought your 'exams' were important."

"Okay." Keiko said reluctantly. Jack grinned, nodding as he moved to the door, crouching by the lock as he snapped on his goggles and pulled out something from his jacket. Keiko couldn't see what he was doing, but there was a clicking noise just before Jack opened the door a crack.

"Ta-da!" He said proudly, puffing out his chest as he took a pose of triumph and snapped his goggles back into their previous place. Keiko was a little impressed, she had to give him credit because it wasn't likely that she would be able to pull off such a trick. He was a thief after all.

Keiko broke out of her train of thought when she saw him heading towards the open window. "Hey, hold on!"

Jack looked over his shoulder at her and asked irritably. "What?"

"I can't just sneak out, I don't know this hospital. What if someone sees me? And I can't go outside like this!" Keiko motioned to her state of dress, then after a moment felt self-conscious as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm practically naked!"

"Really?" Keiko gave him a looked that could burn. "Not important. Listen, I'll be able to guide you out with my computer, I can hack into the surveillance system."

"You could have explained that to me earlier." Keiko mumbled.

"I was!" Jack said defensively, but the truth was that he forgot and was too excited at the possibility of what he could learn. He wasn't about to let her know that and quickly added, "I'll call you."

Jack pulled the cell phone from his jacket and tossed it to her. Keiko was unprepared and fumbled to catch it, dropping it on the bed. She sent him a glare before she picked it up, examining closely much to Jacks disgust as he rolled his eyes.

"It's fine!"

"Oh yeah, like I'm going to believe a criminal." Keiko scoffed as Jack shrugged his shoulders. As Jack continued to elaborate on his plan, Keiko would nod occasionally as she continued to examine her phone. Neither noticed the black tail that flickered over the window through the spaces in the blinds, nor the shadow that darted across the floor.

* * *

"Please keep your hands and feet on the dragon at all times for the duration of the ride. Thank you for choosing Dojo Airlines, number one in dragon transportation." Dojo adopted the voice of a commercial pilot as he took off from the Tohomiko residence, Kimiko and her father waving at them and fading in the distance as they climbed higher into the sky. 

Raimundo stared at Kimiko unabashed, his brows furrowed and his mouth set in a frown. Omi was constantly looking over his shoulder, a look of concern and confusion mingling on his face. Clay and Dojo were more discreet as they gazed at her from the corner of their eyes, Clay using the rim of his hat to cover the direction of his gaze. Omi continued to look back and forth between his comrades, his concern increasing as Kimiko could no longer be distinguished from the other figures below them.

"Are we really going to leave Kimiko?" Omi questioned aloud.

"Nope." Raimundo turned to the smaller boy and grinned. "Just got to let her think that. When have we ever respected her privacy?"

"I don't know," Clay said un-surely. "This is different from looking in her room at the temple. She really looked lower than a hole in the ground."

"Don't I have a say in this?" Dojo asked irritably, glancing over at them. "I am the one driving."

"Then steer us to the nearest rooftop and park your giant lizard butt!" Raimundo said with exaggerated sweetness.

Dojo's eye twitched. "Are you calling me fat!"

"Please, Dojo." Omi pleaded. "We can not abandon our friend!"

"She said she'd come back later, didn't she?" Dojo frowned. "And we really have to tell Master Fung about what happened. I think the sooner we do that, the better."

"Then you go and tell him and we'll stay behind." Raimundo compromised as he patted Dojo's back. "So let us off--"

"No deal!" Dojo frowned. "I'm not going to be blamed by Master Fung when I come back empty handed, no Wu or dragons and I'm not going to be blamed by Kimiko for letting you guys stay and butt in to her business!"

"Then don't worry about that. Just stay with us for a while." Raimundo said carelessly with a shrug.

"Kimiko may need our help!" Omi added.

"I told you, this business with the Wu disappearing is big stuff. We have to tell Master Fung!" Dojo repeated, his irritation rising. "Don't you understand how important this could be?"

"What if it's nothing?" Raimundo countered angrily.

"Hold it there, partners." Clay interrupted, putting a hand on Raimundo's shoulder. "Maybe we can stay a couple of hours. Not only could we see if Kimiko needs help, but maybe the Shen Gong Wu will reappear, who knows? That way we might not have to go back empty handed."

There was a pause.

"I like that." Dojo circled back. "Not going back without the Wu sounds like a plan."

"Yeah! It's light out now too, so it'd be easier." Raimundo agreed excitedly.

"Yes, it is light out." Omi stared down over Dojo's side as they headed towards the nearest rooftop, catching sight of thousands of cars and at least a hundred times that many people traveling about the streets of Tokyo. "But there are a lot more people out as well."

* * *

**  
**

** Additional AN**: Last time I forgot to put in those questions at the end of the last chapter, so you get twice as much this time! Yay? But before we get to that I would like to thank everyone again and please feel free to ask questions if you're curious about something or want to give some constructive criticism, (or praise :3) or if you just want to talk :) I want to know if you're still enjoying my story. Anyway, here are those annoying questions, some you know the answers to and some you can guess the answers to!

What is Kimiko going to do now that she finds her best friend as the prime suspect for the break-in at her father's company skyscraper? Are the others really going to follow Toshirou's (Kimiko's father) advice and let her be? What about Jack? What is he planning to do with Keiko? And what of Keiko? What will she do when she finds out she's now one of Tokyo's most wanted (Um, maybe not _most_ wanted)? What will Master Fung say about the situation with the Shen Gong Wu? Who was the shadow outside the room?


	7. Lie To Me Part I aka Hospital Break

**AN**: I just have to say the character for the blind guardian of the treasure of the blind swordsman is hilarious. He's so funny. Also, I'm so very tired right now so my editing my be off and I may need to edit it again later, but I'll do it later.

**Thanks** to my reviewers once again. You're always greatly appreciated :). Thanks to **Cara the Jack Fan**, I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I can only hope you enjoy this one as well. For Keiko and the whole school thing, it's in her character (um, that I made up) because, well, I think it'll be explained in the story later as we get more into her own personal story. I hope that doesn't frighten anyone away or bore them. Thanks to **sianypie**, I'm really glad to hear that you're going to stick to the story till the end, hopefully that sticks true and the story doesn't make a turn for the worst. As for your guess on the shadow, I'm pretty sure that you know too :) Thanks to **Egglette**, I'm glad you liked Jack. To be honest, Jack is the most fun to write. How can you not love his character? Thanks to **Mo**, I'm glad you like Keiko's character and the story so far. I wouldn't go so far as to say the fight scenes were hard-core since anyone didn't get more than a few bruises and hardly any blood was shed so there wasn't any permanent damage--(Keiko glares at her)--Hey! Hair grows back, doesn't it? Again, I'm glad most of you still think I'm keeping them in character. I'm also really glad you had a particular part that you enjoyed, thanks for specifying:) and also thanks to **HawnPotter** for 'heart'ing and favoring my story--oh and of course for the vague threat ;)

Oh and again on the topic of romance, I'm guessing that won't start until the chapter after the next one? Even then I'm not sure how noticeable it'll be or if you can really read between the lines and can already see some romance. The number one thing that I know right now is that I am not going to pair Omi with anyone. Sorry to Omi fans, he does get his 'screen' time and he does have a somewhat major role to play, but no romantic scenes. He's hard enough to write as it is and I can't picture him with anyone, he's just too innocent and naive. I can't do that to him :x At least, that's how I feel right now. I tend to feel one way at first and surprise myself by writing something I never really expected to put in :x Anyway, there's your hint, enjoy.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. I also don't own Sailor Moon (Very vague reference to it).

**Key**: Paragraphs in _Italics_ are flashbacks.

* * *

**Lie To Me Part I **

AKA

**Hospital Break**

**

* * *

**

_  
"What?" Kimiko looked at the officer in amazement. She turned to her father, giving a forced laugh. "That's ridiculous, right?"_

_Her father stayed silent._

_"...Right?" Kimiko pressed, uneasiness creeping into her voice._

_"Once the hospital clears her for release we will take her into--" The police officer began, but Kimiko whirled around on him, her eyes burning with anger._

_"What evidence do you have? Just because you caught her on tape going up the steps? That you found her unconscious and injured at the crime scene?" Kimiko snapped in disgust. "Isn't it possible that she got hurt because she happened on the _real _thief?"_

_"It is possible, but unlikely given the footage we've obtained." The officer responded calmly, nodding towards the security guard._

_Kimiko scowled at the lack of emotion the officer showed, ready to argue her case that the tapes showed nothing to incriminate her friend, but the monitors were brought to life with the image of a lone figure standing a few feet in front of a broken window. Flashlights were shined on the figure, giving the audience in the control room a good look at the figure's face. _

_Keiko was swaying on her feet, looking disoriented as she barely had time to breath when two officers grabbed her by the arms and started pulling her away from the window. The next moment Keiko could be seen pulling her arm from one officer, lifting her leg to deliver a side-kick to his abdomen. He sailed through the air, hitting the wall just before he slid down and crumpled into a boneless heap. _

_Kimiko felt her mouth open in bewilderment The other guard on the screen felt the same way Kimiko did as he could only stare at the girl in stunned amazement. His grip on her arm loosened, due to her sudden attack and the shock at seeing his comrade taken out so easily by such a young girl. Then the guard was flipped over Keiko's shoulder and thrown at the wall only a few feet away from his partner. He too slid down, sprawled on the ground and unconscious. Keiko's face was hidden in the darkness, but she continued to hold her position from throwing the officer for a few seconds before she slowly straightened up._

_However, in the next moment Keiko's composure seemed to change as she was swaying on her feet again. She took an unsteady step forward, stopping as she lifted her foot and looked down. Keiko was then crouching in the darkness, but they could just make out her form picking something up and placing it in her bag. Keiko then closed it and reached for something else, but she soon collapsed onto the floor._

_Several guards appeared on the screen soon after as indistinct shouting began to fill the floor, flash lights shining in random directions as they finally rested on their fallen comrades and the unconscious girl._

_The officer signaled to the guard to cut the feed, but even after the screen had gone blank Kimiko could not turned away. Her eyes were wide with disbelief and her mouth agape. She slowly shook her head, mouthing to herself silently, unable to form even a single comprehensive sentence as she looked at her father._

_Again, he refused to meet her gaze, but the officer had no trouble doing so._

_"As you can see, the tape shows Nagatsuka Keiko's assault on two guards as well as placing an unknown item into her bag. We have confirmed that one of the items that were listed as missing matched the object she had put into her bag."_

_"But, that can't have been her. Papa," Kimiko turned away from the officer's unforgiving stare and looked to her father. "You _know _Keiko. Keiko wouldn't do this! Why would she!"_

_"Kimiko..." Her father began._

_"No, no! You can't do this to her. It can't have been her." Kimiko's tone took on a hint of desperation. "Keiko couldn't have thrown them like that! Not Keiko!"_

_Tohomiko Toshirou could only stare at the blank monitors before him. He did know Keiko. He knew her and her family well enough. Keiko was, no she_ is _Kimiko's best friend. They were inseparable, at least, until Kimiko had left for her training. You could not find one without the other and neither could go more than a minute without mentioning or giving a call to each other, no matter how trivial the reason. They were easily mistaken as sisters and many would swear they looked alike, except to those who knew them best._

_For Kimiko it would have been normal for her to break free from two grown men, but Kimiko was special. She was a warrior and it was her destiny to have that kind of strength, but for any other girl around Kimiko's stature, it would be nearly impossible to have repeated what had just occurred on the tape and Keiko was no exception. He knew the young girl had never fought in her life (at least, he believed so) and to his knowledge he knew that Keiko did not take any sort of martial arts or any extra curricular activity to that extent. When Kimiko had still been in Tokyo, before her training, she had often complained that Keiko would refuse to join any clubs and would prefer to stay at home if she could, but she did make time to spend with her friends._

_It was hard for him to believe that Keiko was capable of such strength and under normal circumstances he would have waved off the possibility as ludicrous, but the evidence was clear. He had just seen it on tape and there were two missing security guards as well as a few stolen items to validate the theory. It seemed for the umpteenth time that day, Toshirou had to take off his glasses to rub his eyes to fight off the beginnings of a migraine._

_"That can't be her." Kimiko pressed on, giving her father an earnest look. "Papa, you know how things are now. It was probably--"_

_Kimiko broke off at the intense look the officer was giving her. She felt uneasy as she gazed at her father. She knew he must understand what she was trying to tell him, but with strangers in the room she didn't know if it was right to say it so bluntly. She and her father exchanged a silent look of understanding, vaguely aware about the gaze of the officer._

_"It was someone else. Someone who wanted it to look like it was her." Kimiko finished quietly._

_"Why do you say that? Nagatsuka was found on the scene shortly after her attack. How could the other party change places with her so quickly?"_

_"There are ways." Kimiko said flatly._

_"What, pray tell, would those methods be?" The officer delved._

_"I-I don't know." Kimiko lied, a few ideas coming to mind, but there was no way that she would tell this man._

_"How is your relationship with this girl? Would you have given her any reason to provoke her to try and break-in to such a high security building?"_

_"What?" Kimiko narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying that Keiko broke in because of_ me_? Which isn't true because _she didn't break in_."_

_"I understand how this can be difficult for you to accept," The officer began with no emotion in his voice. "But her cousin, Nagatsuka Karen, confirmed that Keiko had indeed come to this building on an errand to deliver a document. She informed us that she had called Keiko when she failed to return home within a certain period of time, but there was no answer. Unless you're trying to tell me that Karen tried to set her cousin up, I would appreciate your explanation on how she would have been able to switch places with Keiko and be on the other side of the city at the same time."_

_Kimiko could only stare at the officer in rage before she hurried out of the room, yanking the door open so hard that it bounced against the wall as she stomped down the hall. She was halfway down the hall when she began to regret her action and pivoted on her heels to go back. If she was going to prove her friend's innocence, she couldn't just walk away, could she?_

_However, as Kimiko approached the door, she could hear the voices of her father and the officer inside and held back a moment._

_"I do believe that your daughter is connected."_

_"Because it is her friend?" Toshirou asked in amazement. "You really believe this is all because of something as petty as an argument between friends?"_

_"No, I don't believe that." The officer said quietly. "I believe that perhaps your daughter may have been an accomplice."_

_Kimiko was stunned. How could he even accuse her... !_

_There was a few moments of silence._

_"What!" Her father bellowed. "You're actually accusing my daughter--!"_

_"It may not be as far fetched as you believe. There have been cases when such crimes like this have occurred and it turns out that those least suspected would turn out to be the culprits--"_

_"_My own daughter_?"_

_"Your daughter has access to technology far more advance that normal people are unable to obtain. You can not tell me that you, as the major corporate of electronics and technology, have not given her special privileges within your company or haven't taught her a few things yourself? To fool such an advance security system can not be done by anyone."_

_"You're telling me this is an inside job? I can believe that," Toshirou grounded out. "But my own _daughter_? That is absurd--"_

_"The motives may vary. Perhaps as simple as vying for your attention--"_

_Kimiko had heard enough. She quietly backed away from the door, her training enabling her to move without detection. She found it a miracle that she went unnoticed as she trembled with barely suppressed rage as she walked down the halls, down the stairs and into the lobby. Even the air around her seemed to heat up as she stepped outside, the cold no longer seeping into her skin as she could only see red._

_Kimiko stood in front of her father's building, staring out ahead without actually seeing anything. She knew now that the officer was a fool. To accuse her only helped to fuel her anger, but there was a positive side to it. If he was wrong about her, then he was definitely wrong about Keiko. _

_That thought helped to stem her temper as she took in deep, calming breaths. If she went to the hospital she would be able to talk to Keiko herself and find out the real story. She would be able to track down the real criminal and set everything straight. _

_Her spirits lifting, Kimiko waited until her father soon appeared at the glass doors. He was adjusting his glasses, pausing as he spotted her and his eyes softened. Kimiko looked away, waiting for him to step ahead of her to follow him back to the car. She didn't want to see the pity in his eyes or the sympathy he had to offer. She didn't want it, nor did she need it because Keiko was _not guilty._ She wasn't._

_... was she?_

_

* * *

_

"_Okay, go ahead._"

Keiko nodded as she opened the door. She winced at her lapse in intelligence after she realized that she was on the phone so he couldn't see her nod. Nevertheless, Keiko pressed the phone to her ear with one hand and turned the handle, pushing the door open. She stopped at only an inch as she peered out cautiously. Then, slowly, she widened the opening, sticking her head out to glance down the hallway in either direction.

"_What are you doing?_"

Keiko jumped, nearly dropping the phone.

There was a snort of laughter. "_Hurry up, will you butterfingers?_"

"I'm just double checking!" Keiko hissed defensively as she stepped outside. She turned around quickly to close the door as quietly as possible, darting a look around the floor one last time before she stepped back. Had anyone happened down the hall, they would have been met with a very strange sight.

Keiko stood under the fluorescent lights of the hospital, clad in Jack Spicer's black coat. It contrasted with the hospital theme of white walls, pristine and clean. She stood out starkly against the absence of color as she pulled it over her hospital gown. She had managed to convince Jack to give her his coat, just to borrow of course, because she wasn't about to walk around in such thin material. It was bad enough that her feet were bare so he finally relented. Unknown to her, the sooner he got her out of there, the sooner he could find out what he wanted.

The strangest thing was that Keiko had also taken his goggles. When Jack asked her why in the world she wanted to wear them, she told him the first thing that came to mind.

_"It matches the coat." _

Surprisingly, to Keiko, he agreed with her and even seemed enthused by her reasoning. She tuned him out as he went into detail, but the real reason Keiko wanted to wear them was to help hide her identity. The goggles would help to obscure her face, even at a distance, to cause someone to think twice about who she was, even if they did stand out. Although, there have been stranger fashion statements (few of which were pulled off in a hospital) Keiko was sure that at least from the back with her mutilated hair no one would recognize her as she at least a head shorter than Jack so the coat trailed at her heels and covered up her gown from the back and most of the front from view.

"_You're doubting me?_" Jack snapped through the phone in response to her earlier statement.

"Better safe than sorry." Keiko whispered. It had already been ten minutes since Keiko had snuck from her room, she was now on the floor below, but it felt like ages as she continued to creep along the hallways. "Which way?"

"_Left and then duck behind the nurse's counter for a minute."_ Keiko did as she was told, but Jack wasn't finished. "_You're saying that you don't believe I can get you out."_

"I didn't say that." Keiko snapped, crouching down near the floor as she glanced around the counter, then huddled back beneath it with her knees to her chest. "You're the one safe in who knows where while I'm out risking myself with the building covered with police and hospital staff keeping watch over me and I'm pretty sure they're going to find out I'm missing any time soon. So, you'll have to excuse me for being a little bit nervous."

"_Relax, you've got me, Jack Spicer, evil boy genius extraordinaire, handling everything. How much safer could you be?"_

"You're really bad at the whole comforting thing, aren't you?" Keiko whispered, her nerves on edge at staying crouched beneath the counter for longer than what felt comfortable. She kept darting her eyes between the two openings where someone could walk by and spot her. Impatiently, she called to Jack. "Well?"

"_Keep your gown on, they're hanging out by the corner--oh wait, they just went into the room. Okay... yeah, it's safe."_

Keiko slowly glanced around the counter, duck walking towards the opening as she leaned forward.

"_Just stand up!"_

Keiko jumped to her feet, her heart racing.

"Stop doing that!"

"_Quit complaining. Go straight from where you are and take another left until you hit the last door. That's the staircase."_

Keiko nodded, wincing again at her action as she started to walk. Slowly at first, then picking up to a brisk pace, then almost jogging as she almost missed the turn and headed for the last door.

Having a feeling of deja vu, Keiko yanked open the door to the stairwell and jumped through it, shutting it behind her as quickly and quietly as possible. For a moment, she merely leaned against the door, her back pressed against it as she let out a long sigh.

"How can it be so empty? I feel like a player in one of those stupid zombie games." Keiko made a sound of disgust as she shuddered at the thought. "I hate those games."

"_You mean Goo Zombies?_" Jack asked in confusion, then his tone quickly took on excitement. "_How can you hate them? I love those games! I can't wait for the next one, I heard that they're more realistic and even harder to kill. They just keep coming at you and they added those really awesome monsters that don't even have a head and just jerk around shooting---"_

Keiko cut him off with a shout in Japanese. She had pulled the phone away from her ear, shaking her head as she fixed the cell phone with a heated glare.

"Just get me out of here, we don't have time to talk about games!"

_"Scared?_" Jack sneered the moment she brought the phone back to her ear.

"As much as you will be if you don't get me out of here, like you promised." Keiko grounded out. "Or is that _evil genius_ spiel just all talk?"

"_I think it's best you just keep your mouth shut and let me do all the talking."_

She had to clench her hand into the material of the coat to keep herself from making a retort. The sooner she was out, the better.

"_Go up the stairs and exit onto the next floor._"

"Because I would have shimmied up the railing instead of using the steps." Keiko said sarcastically as she headed up the narrow staircase and stopped at the door, ignoring Jack's angry response. She turned the handle and pushed it open, jumping out into the hall and striking a pose.

"_Cute, smart-ass." _Jack snorted. "_Now show me you're capable and head down the hall and turn into the room with double doors. There should be another set of doors on the other side of that room. Go through there and take a right."_

"Aye, aye." Keiko whispered as she crept along the hallway to the room. She turned to the double doors as she was instructed and pushed down on the handle and began to open the door. She stepped in and quickly closed the doors behind herself before moving across the room to the other pair of doors. She turned the handle and pushed them open, ready to step out into the next hallway.

"_Wait, wait, wait_!" Jack said quickly.

Keiko jumped back away from the door. "What? What?"

"_Someone's opening the door! Hide!_"

Keiko looked around the room frantically before diving under the round table in the middle of the room that resembled a lounge. She managed to crawl under one of the chairs and squeeze underneath, turning so she had a view of both pairs of doors. She squeezed one arm around herself, the other pressing the phone to her ear. After a minute, although it felt like an eternity to her, Jack finally spoke up.

"_Weird." _Jack said after a moment. "_It's clear_."

"Okay." Keiko whispered as she crawled out from under one chair, looking over her shoulder at one door, then to the ones in front of her. "Are you sure?"

"_Are we going to have this conversation again?_" Jack asked in irritation. "_Hurry, before they come back!"_

Keiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she crawled from under the table. She grabbed onto one of the chairs, her head spinning as she righted herself up. She placed a hand to her face, attempting to run it through her hair, but she met resistance from the goggles she had forgotten she was wearing. She let her hand drop with a sigh. It was just as well. There was so little hair left that it would only depress her and add to her list of troubles, something she didn't need at the moment. She stumbled towards the door and turned the handle, pushing it open.

"_Wait!"_ Jack cried out again in a panic and Keiko jumped away from the door yet again. "_They're coming out!_"

Keiko stood in her spot and was ready to dart back to the table, but Jack sounded in her ear again.

"_Never mind, the door closed again." _He clucked his tongue. "_Man, why can't they just make up their mind?_"

Keiko merely stood there as she let his words sink in. She stared at the door for a moment, but shook her head.

"Are you sure?" Keiko asked again slowly as she cautiously made her way toward the double doors.

"_Yeah, pretty sure._" Jack confirmed.

Keiko pushed down the handle and opened the door a crack.

"_Wait!"_

She released it and let it shut close.

"_They closed it--"_

She opened it again.

"_Scratch that, they're coming--"_

She closed it.

"_No, they closed it---"_

She opened it all the way and stepped out into the hall.

"_Hide! Hide! Hi--"_ Jack cut himself off abruptly as Keiko stood with a hand on her hip, the phone pressed to her ear with her shoulder as she arched an eyebrow on his computer screen. She stepped out completely into the hall, the doors closing behind her with a soft click. Keiko took an exaggerated look to her left, then to her right, going as far to put a hand over her eyes as she searched the halls. After she finished, she looked towards the nearest camera and let the phone drop from her shoulder into her outstretched hand as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Coast seems clear to me." She was grinning. "_Evil genius,_ huh?"

"_Hey--_" Jack began angrily, but Keiko was already walking off screen. Jack cursed under his breath as he quickly switched cameras. In Keiko's moment of amusement, she had thrown caution to the wind and forgotten her current situation. Even for a moment it could prove to ruin their escape if someone, mainly the police or hospital staff, were to spot and recognize her.

"Excuse me."

Keiko froze in place at the Japanese voice. She refused to look to her side, but by her peripheral vision she could see the blue uniform just a few feet away.

"_Yeah, just as much as you are_."

Keiko was tempted to snap the phone shut and _hurl it_ at the nearest camera, but that wouldn't help her current situation and instead she opted to pocketing it in to the coat.

"Excuse me." The officer repeated as he stepped towards her. Keiko quickly turned away, glancing at the ceiling as she kept her back to him. The officer seemed to grow irritated by her behavior and placed a hand firmly on her shoulder . "Excuse me--"

"Ah!" Keiko jumped, catching both her and the officer off guard. She quickly lowered her voice, as she snapped on the goggles and glared at the officer through the yellow colored lenses, adopting a masculine attitude. "What?"

Are you lost?" The officers eyes widened at her state of dress, but he quickly covered his surprise. "You're not one of the staff or a patient."

"No, I'm not." Keiko agreed in her forced lower voice, causing her to cough. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm visiting. My... relative."

"I see." The officer nodded shortly. He turned away with a short farewell and Keiko thought she was in clear. She let out a near silent sigh of relief as she began to walk away when the officer's radio went off.

"_--missing patient from room--"_

Keiko tensed and began to move more briskly.

"_Possibly dangerous and unstable, use caution--_"

Keiko paused. "Unstable!"

_"Keep moving!"_ Jack's voice sounded faintly from the coat, his yell muffled by the material.

Keiko refocused her attention to the task at hand and started moving again. She didn't notice that the same moment she turned a corner, the guard that she had just encountered was grabbed and taken in a blink of an eye. Her mind was preoccupied by the apprehension that was building in her and fueling her on as she failed to listen to Jack's warnings.

"_No, no, not that way! Are you listening? Not that way--what are you doing!_"

Keiko fumbled into the pocket of the jacket, realizing her mistake too late as she glanced up and saw a couple of officers and nurses walking towards her. She froze up, staring at them as they glanced up and noticed the strangely dressed teenager. Their brows furrowed as they came closer, but it was when one of them seemed to widened their eyes at the sight of her that Keiko felt her heart skip a beat.

"Chotto!**(1)**"

Keiko turned to the source of the voice, her heart pounding in her ears as she prepared herself for the worst.

Instead of the onslaught of nurses and officers barreling upon her that she had expected, a blonde girl stood at her side, smiling at her widely. Her teeth seemed to glint sharply in fluorescent lighting, but before Keiko could get a good look, her smile was gone and the girl was taking her by the arm and pulling her down an adjacent hallway. Keiko stumbled after her, unsure of what to do. She chanced a glance over her shoulder to find one of the nurses still watching them leave and quickly turned around and followed the girl hurriedly.

A few doors down, the girl finally slowed down as she loosened her grip on Keiko's arm and turned to her with a smile.

"You looked a little lost."

"A little, yes, thank you--" Keiko stopped when she realized the girl was talking to her in English and blinked up at her. "Wait, what?"

"I thought you could use some help," The short-haired blonde repeated, standing a foot taller than the small Japanese girl as she placed a hand on her hip. "Little boys shouldn't be wondering around a hospital all by themselves. It's dangerous."

"Little... boy!" Keiko gasped in outage, a hand unconsciously going up to the back of her neck. She winced at the short strands that brushed against her fingertips. She casted a look towards the floor, taking in her state of dress. With as much composure she could muster up, she looked up at the girl through the yellow lenses of the goggles and nodded. "Right, I was lost."

"Where are you trying to go? Are you looking for someone?" She asked, staring at her with dark colored eyes, her tone coy as if she were predator bidding her time before she made her strike. Keiko leaned away from the blonde girl, very aware of her arm still in her grasp and the way she seemed to loom over her.

"Yes. I..." Keiko paused, unsure if she should answer. It was highly unlike this girl knew who she was or what she was up to. She spoke English and even her Japanese had a very heavy accent to it, but there seemed something oddly familiar about her.

"What's wrong?" She leaned closer, her eyes narrowing in amusement. "Mommy told you never talk to strangers?"

Keiko had to fight from arching an eyebrow at the girl's behavior. She hadn't had much experience in this department, but if she wasn't mistaken, Keiko believe that the blonde girl was flirting with her.

_Am I an attractive looking boy? _Keiko thought, then frowned. _But then she did say little boy. Pedophile? Ew... _Keiko couldn't help but shudder in disgust at the last thought and quickly shook her head to rid herself of the very idea.

"Oddly enough, no." Keiko yanked her arm away from the strange girl, massaging it self-consciously as she took a step back. "Can you speak Japanese--?"

"Nope. Not a word." She grinned. Keiko shivered at the sight of her teeth, unsure why. "I'm just a tourist. You do pick up a few words and phrases here and there."

"At the hospital?" Keiko looked at her incredulously.

"Oh, well," She looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she snapped her fingers with a smile. "My friend got some food poisoning, not use to your food, you know? Sushi this, tofu that."

"I see." Keiko said distractedly as her eyes drifted towards the camera at the corner of the hallway, it's red light glaring down at her. The other girl seemed to notice her distress as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Camera shy?"

"What?" Keiko blinked, turning her attention back to the strange blonde girl.

"Want some advice?" She asked, leaning closer to Keiko as if she were about to reveal a secret, despite the fact that Keiko kept moving back until her back hit the wall.

"No." Keiko said firmly, looking nervous at the amused gleam in the girl's dark eyes.

"The stairwell has no cameras."

Keiko blinked and the other girl smiled.

* * *

There was a long period of silence as Jack kept searching. He was even beginning to sweat as he caught many officers now exploring the halls in teams. They knew Keiko was missing and they were running out of time. Jack stared at the screen hard as he reviewed the cameras on the every floor, but he found no sign of her. He checked again only to find the same results. He was quickly becoming frustrated as he searched a third time just to be sure. Still, there was no sign of her. 

"I don't see you!" Jack shouted into the mouth piece. "Where are you? Are you listening?"

"_Sorry, I forgot you were there_." Keiko said into the phone calmly.

"Forgot I was---" Jack started to shout in outrage, but he quickly cut himself and took a deep breath. Then through clenched teeth he inquired for her location.

"_Ninth floor." _

"Ni-ninth!" Jack repeated incredulous. "How did you get up there? Are you using the elevator? I told you--"

"_That it's a bad idea_?" Keiko finished for him.

"If you remembered that, then why--" Jack made a sound of frustration, unable to finish his sentence. "Never mind! Just stay where you are for now and let me find you. It would have been easier if I just blew a hole in your room and took you out that way. Easier and quicker."

There was no response.

"Sure, there would have been a lot of damage and a lot of screaming, but we would have been done like that." Jack snapped his fingers for emphasis as he used his other hand to search through the cameras on the ninth floor. "And for a hospital, it's pretty secure. They're nothing to the Tohomiko ones, but there's a lot more than I expected, which is good for your escape, ironically."

Still there was no response.

"Don't think I'm soft or anything." Jack quickly covered up as he continued to tap at his laptop. "I just wasn't prepared for this kind of stunt, but it shows you what a true evil genius I am, being able to improvise on such short notice. Sometimes my brilliance scares even myself. It's kind of irritating because everyone thinks I'm some sort of idiot, but could they--"

"Talk to themselves nonstop?"

Jack frowned. Her voice sounded very close this time, but he shrug it off as he was about to retort when his headset was knocked onto the keyboard, his head being pushed forward by a light amount of pressure. As soon as it touched his head, it was gone and Jack whirled around, a hand pressing against the back of his head.

Keiko stood at his back, her foot still in the process of retracting itself as she snapped her phone shut and frowned at him.

"All I hear is you gloating about your brilliance, but you don't strike me as very sharp."

"How did you get up here!" Jack demanded as he picked up his headset and put it around his neck.

Keiko pointed to the door behind her.

It was the stairwell that lead up to the roof.

"... If you wanted to be boring about it." Jack mumbled as he shut his laptop and put it into his pack.

"The door wasn't even locked and your back was turned to it." Keiko pulled off his goggles and tossed it to him. Jack snatched them out of the air and pointed his nose into the air as he snapped them back on his head ("Ow."). "You were in plain sight, genius."

"I was watching the cameras, wasn't I?" Jack countered as he held out his hand expectantly.

"There's no cameras on the stairwells!" Keiko eyed his hand in confusion. "What? I'm not going to pay you..."

"My coat!" Jack snapped.

"What? It's freezing up here." She paused. "Why are we up here? You're not going to fly us down with your helicopter back pack thingy are you? You could have done that from my room if you were, not that I was going to go along with it if you _had _suggested it."

"Of course not." Jack scowled as he let his hand drop and turned away. He gestured to a dark empty space on the roof. Keiko gave a look that showed she was about to say something, but Jack held up a hand and pulled something out of his pocket as he pressed a button. Within seconds a jet was revealed with four seats in the cockpit, small, compact and painted black.

"We're going on that."

"On that?" Keiko repeated slowly. She stared hard at the jet and closed her eyes. She rubbed them gently, then opened them.

The jet was still there.

"Okay." Keiko said weakly. Jack grinned at her response as he jumped onto the wing and popped open the hatch. He turned to Keiko only to find her still standing there in a daze.

"Well?" Jack prodded as he held out a hand to her. "We going or what?"

"I know it's not a car or anything, but you _are _a stranger inviting me into a _strange_ vehicle." Keiko placed her hands on her hips as she tilted her head to the side. "Doesn't sound like a good idea to me."

Jack could only stare at her.

Keiko sighed. "Well, no turning back now."

The young Japanese girl moved towards the wing and grabbed ahold of the metal. She attempted to pull herself up, but only managed to scramble halfway before she slide back down onto the rooftop. Keiko took a deep breath and tried again, but it held less success than her first attempt. Jack watched the display, shaking his head as he reached down and hauled the girl up by the front of his coat. Keiko was caught off guard as she fell onto the wing, hugging it for dear life to keep from sliding off. Jack rolled his eyes as he pulled her to her feet and helped her into the cockpit.

_And I thought I was pitiful,_ Jack shook his head. Then he stopped. _Wait._

"You really should put in a ladder." Keiko tried to cover for her pathetic attempt to get into the jet. Had it been any other person, she would have thanked them, but this was the guy who nearly got her killed. She wasn't divine and saintly enough to forgive and forget so soon. "What if you were so injured you couldn't climb back in?"

"I've got nearly a foot on you. Getting it isn't a problem for me, little girl." Jack sneered as he climbed in over her and shut the cockpit close.

Keiko felt her face start to heat up, her eyes narrowing as she shot him a glare.

_Much_ too soon to forget.

* * *

Katnappé sat in one of the chairs in an office a few floors of above the crime scene. She was leaning back with her heels propped up on the desk in front of her, claws resting on her thighs and her gaze focused on the view outside of the window right next to her. She could see the entire city in the light of day, right down to the smallest detail, including the suspicious object sitting on the rooftop of the hospital in the distance. 

Having just been there, Katnappé didn't see any point in staying and watching them leave as she had got the information she wanted and all she had to do now was wait for opportune moment to retrieve what she came to Tokyo for in the first place.

With a heavy investigation happening just a couple floors below, all workers were blocked off from coming to their jobs, going as far to thoroughly interrogate each one that tried to enter the premises. It was a simple task for her to sneak in with all the officers focused on three main floors, the lobby or ground floor, the security floor and of course, the twenty first floor where the incident had occurred.

However, Katnappé was irritated to no end. Not only did she fail to steal what she came here for, but she was working overtime and practically made a fool of by a little girl and that freak, Jack. Katnappé growled low in her throat as she jerked her chair up, digging her claws into the desk and gouging the wood, but the desk was still intact as she dragged them over the edge in her anger. To top it off, her _employer_ had given her false information that nearly got her caught.

There was a tapping at the window besides her.

_Speak of the devil_, Katnappé thought as she turned her head to glance out at the very one who had sent her here.

Hannibal rested on the Ying-Ying bird. The bird used it's beak to push the window open further from it's crack, resting on the sill as Katnappé turned to him with a feral smile on her lips. Hannibal looked furious.

"Well, well," She whispered harshly with a tight smile. "Has the little birdie and it's flea come to pay the kitty a visit?"

"What are you doing here?" Hannibal all but shouted. "It's nearly noon. I thought we had a deal."

"And we would have if you had given me valid information." Katnappé hissed as she grabbed the bean with her claws. The bird made a noise of protest, readying itself to protect it's master until Katnappé fixed it with a look. It settled and stayed in place, shifting it's claws on the window sill as it watched its master apprehensively.

Hannibal was no better.

"What are you talking about?" Hannibal demanded as he wound his tentacle arms around her claws and plucked himself from the precarious position. Katnappé made a sound of disgust and shook him off on to the desk.

"What do you think? You're information on the Shen Gong Wu." She growled. "All I found was a bunch of _crap_."

"Pardon?" Hannibal stared at the girl in confusion. "They aren't the best Shen Gong Wu, but they aren't--"

"They _weren't Shen Gong Wu._" Katnappé shouted as she slammed her claws into the wood, mere centimeters from the bean. She leaned close so that her breath was nearly blowing the bean across the table. "They didn't work."

"Are you sure you were using it right?" Hannibal frowned, still trying to process her accusations.

"Even Jack tried it and it didn't work!" Katnappé said in her defense. Hannibal rose an eyebrow at that.

"You're trying to defend yourself by using that Spicer kid as your support?" The bean gave a hearty laugh as Katnappé felt her face heat up. "Are you trying to insult yourself?"

"Look, it didn't work." Katnappé hissed. "What part of that didn't you understand?"

"That's impossible!" Hannibal snapped back as he fixed Katnappé with a glare. "Hand them over, I'll show you how to--"

"Later." Katnappé interrupted shortly.

"_Later_?" Hannibal repeated in amazement. "You've had over half a day and you don't even have them?"

"Don't get your roots in a knot." Katnappé waved off with a sigh of irritation. "I'll have them in no time, why do you think I'm here? Duh!"

"Who am I to delve into the mind of a _moron_?" Hannibal sneered, darting away at the last seconds to avoid her claws. The wood splintered further down the sides, but the desk continued to stand, still partially intact. "I do have to ask, I thought you were better than that. How could Spicer cause so much interference?"

"It wasn't _just _the dweeb." Katnappé grounded out. She leaned back in the seat with a scowl, her next words mumbled from beneath her breath, "There was a little girl too."

"A little girl?"

There was a long moment of silence.

"_A little girl?_" Hannibal choked out, his entire form shaking. Katnappé slammed the desk, only serving to bring out Hannibal's laughter in full force.

"Stop laughing, you stupid vegetable!" Katnappé shrieked in outrage, no longer caring if they were being put in risk of being caught as her anger went soaring.

"Who was it?" Hannibal managed to control his laughter, but his grin was still plastered on his face. "His cousin? That little girl?"

"No." Katnappé reeled back from his expression in disgust. "Another one."

"Not like you to get involved with civilians." Hannibal said with a chuckle. "How could you let a little girl distract you?"

"I wasn't taking her seriously." Katnappé finally admitted as she stood from the chair, crossing her arms as she stared out the window. "I don't even know why Jack was with her."

"Spicer was with her?" Hannibal's grin faded. "You mean he actually brought her? Are you sure it wasn't some relation or even a new lackey he brought along?"

"No." Katnappé said shortly, shaking her head with derisive snort. "No way, she was actually chained up by one of his lame-o inventions. She could barely keep with him, let alone myself."

"No." Katnappé said again, looking more thoughtful. Her next words were softer, causing Hannibal moved closer in order to hear her. "No, she was just some kid that was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Then what do you plan to do now?" Hannibal drawled out. He gave her a once over. "Does this new outfit come into play or are you telling me you've turned a new leaf?"

Katnappé turned to him, confusion etched on her face. A moment later her eyes widened as she took a quick glance at herself and frowned. She stood in a officer's uniform, one she had come by from her earlier 'visit' to the hospital. She glared at him, then turned away once again.

"I know that they have the Shen Gong Wu here." Katnappé said, ignoring his statement even as her hand unconsciously came up to adjust the rim of her stolen hat. "It'll take me a minute, five tops."

"Then I suggest you get moving." Hannibal sneered. "This will reflect on your reward in the future."

"You better be paying me overtime for this." Katnappé retorted as she slid the window open. The Ying-Ying bird made a noise of protest as Katnappé put her foot on the sill and effectively pushing the bird out of the way. She climbed out of the window into the wind roaring outside the building. Hannibal watched her, his eyes widened as he watched her cling to the window sill for a moment, hopping onto one of her clawed hands as he judged the distance, the pavement below seemingly miles below.

Hannibal was about to open his mouth to inquire what she was planning to do and how the outfit would work if she were to keep on her clawed gloves, but he never got the chance as Katnappé let go with one hand, the one he was riding on, and snapped the window shut with the other.

Hannibal was considered one of the greatest evils there were, but at that moment even he could not keep himself from letting a shout of surprise as he grabbed at the cuff of the stolen police uniform.

Katnappé fell from the window, the wind roaring in her ears, but her expression showed only total focus as she reached out towards the building just seconds before they were about to hit the ground. Hannibal let out another shout as he cracked his head against Katnappé's wrist when the young girl was jerked to a startling halt moments before her feet touched the ground soundlessly and by some miracle her hat was still firmly in place atop her head.

Katnappé was stretching out her arms when Hannibal came around. The Ying-Ying bird had dove after them and plucked the bean from Katnappé's sleeve, circling around her head once before resting on a ledge on the building. The blonde girl made one last stretch before she plucked off her gloves and pocketed them. She had chosen the side that was facing the parking structure to pull off her stunt and had managed to land on the topmost floor of it. She headed towards the garage elevator as Hannibal could only watch her walk away in a daze. He glance up at the wall connected to the ledge the bird was sitting on and saw eight deep gouges in the concrete, at least a foot of space between her clawed hands.

_Have to give the girl some credit_, Hannibal thought as he nudged the Ying-Ying bird and soon they were soaring back to the less crowded areas of the sidewalk, spotting the blonde-haired girl as she was rounding the corner towards the entrance. The Ying-Ying bird made a quick swoop over Katnappé's shoulder, giving Hannibal the chance to hop onto the rim of her head and slide over to her shoulder.

"He went looking for her." Katnappé said suddenly, obviously aware of the presence of her new passenger. He fixed her a look of confusion. "He actually went out of his way to break her out of the hospital, only after he finds out she's friends with Kimiko? I knew the freak probably had a thing for Kimiko, but that's going way too far. I bet it must be disgusting having that mama's boy stalking her--"

Katnappé stopped talking abruptly as she pulled the hat low over her eyes, flashing a badge she dug out of her pocket as the other officer nodded her into the building. She walked briskly towards the lobby elevator, waiting calmly for the steel doors open. The moment they were closed, Hannibal chose that moment to reply to her earlier rant in a whisper.

"You know, for someone who is so disgusted by said individual," Hannibal said slowly, his eyes narrowing in irritation at her lack of focus. "You sure do talka lot about him. I'd almost say you were _jealous..._?"

A full minute of silence followed Hannibal's insinuation.

Katnappé left the elevator alone when the steel doors opened, Hannibal was a smear on the wall in the dent created to fit his small form. By the time he managed to come around, Katnappé had returned with the promised Shen Gong Wu. He grinned as he hopped onto her shoulder, examining the headband and crystal prism that she put into her sleeve and the other under her hat. It was an easy task to exit the building, turning towards an alleyway just as the sounds of panic reached her ears across the street from the Tohomiko building. She shrugged Hannibal off as she dropped the Shen Gong Wu besides him, pulling off the uniform from behind a dumpster.

"Very good." Hannibal praised as he touched the items.

"They don't work." Katnappé said as she stepped out in normal clothing, a purse hanging at her side, holding the outfit to her alter ego. She tossed the officer's uniform into the dumpster without a second thought as she bent down and put the items into her bag. Hannibal hopped onto her outstretched hand.

"Then you ain't using them right." Hannibal retorted. "Let me see."

Katnappé, or Ashley stood up as Hannibal jumped into her purse. There was a muffled shout as he called out the Shen Gong Wu's name, a flash of light emitting from her purse and then silence. Hannibal shouted the Shen Gong Wu out once more before hopping out and back onto her hand.

"It works fine."

Ashley was reluctant to agree, but last night she was sure that the Shen Gong Wu hadn't reacted at all with her during the robbery. Instead, she opted to question him. "What does the other one do? You only told me about the headband." Then she mumbled quietly, "The stupid headband that didn't even work."

"The other one's not important right now. We've got what we wanted, our business here is done." Hannibal waved off as Ashley headed out into the sidewalk and melded in with the other pedestrians walking by. "Tell me, how did you use the headband last night?"

Ashley growled low in her throat, barely audible as she knew she was now in public. She whispered out of the corner of her mouth as she recounted the events from last night, of how she entered the building unnoticed, meeting Jack and Keiko and how she was stopped before she could grab the Shen Gong Wu. However, she didn't stop there as Hannibal made no interruption and continued with the rest of her story. She found she was unable to stop as her emotions started to build to a point where she no longer bothered to hide the fact that she was talking to him, although it looked to any outsider that she was ranting to herself. Most passerbys only gave her a second glance as she ranting in English, but Hannibal finally decided to interrupt her.

"So, Spicer is with that girl right now?" Hannibal asked with mild interest. "And she's friends with one of the Xiaolin warriors?"

"Yeah." Ashley paused. "Kimiko."

"Is she a," Hannibal paused. "A magical girl?"

Ashley could only stare at him speechless. The way he phrased the question seemed absurd, so she couldn't stop herself from retorting.

"Yeah, didn't I mention?" Ashley sneered as she bit out sarcastically, "She had her little sailor outfit and heart scepter and everything, fighting in the name of love and justice!"

"_What_?" Hannibal looked utterly confused by her response.

"Never mind. You don't get it." Ashley said, then added with an afterthought, "It would be kind of freaky if you did."

Hannibal fixed her with another strange look before he shook his head.

"This can prove to work to our advantage." Hannibal said with a grin, getting back on track. "He'll provide a distraction to keep the monks out of my way until I find that weapon."

"Weapon?" Ashley repeated. She had been approached by Hannibal in order to steal Shen Gong Wu, which was a normal occurrence for her ever since she met Jack and Wuya. Nothing no longer surprised her when it came to that, but Hannibal had not gone into the specifics of his plan. He did, however, promise her great rewards if she were to pull off this job. Ashley didn't really care for big plans of world domination. Why did she need to rule the world when all she needed was a good shopping spree now and then to keep her happy? Courtesy of the five-finger discount, of course. However, after all the trouble she went through and the amount of sleep she lost just to retrieve the items now safely in her purse, she might as well find out what she had worked so hard for.

"Interested?"

"Not really." Ashley lied through her teeth, shrugging her shoulders.

Hannibal grinned. "Well, things will reveal themselves in due time, but if you see anything of importance keep it in mind and I'll be in touch."

"Like what?" Ashley questioned with a frown just as she stopped in front of a small bakery. The Ying-Ying bird flew down, hovering near her as it waited for Hannibal to hop on. It rose up to her eye level once Hannibal was secured to its feathers so that the bean could talk to her.

"Anything that sticks out in your mind. I'll trust your judgment." He held out a tentacle. "Oh, and of course I'll be needing the Wu."

"Here." Ashley dug into her purse and put the headband around the bird's neck. Hannibal waited for the other Shen Gong Wu, but Ashley merely closed her purse and place a hand on her hip. "What?"

"The Wu!" Hannibal demanded irritably.

"I'll hold on to it. You said it wasn't important right now, didn't you?" Ashley said with a smirk. "Just a little insurance to make sure you keep your end of the deal and don't throw me out of the loop."

Hannibal looked outraged, but his snarl smoothed out into a slow smile. "All right."

Ashley watched the bird rise up into the air with a look of triumph on her face, but her smile faltered at his departing words.

"You may be getting in over your head, girl."

Ashley couldn't fight the scowl that made its way onto her face.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

**Notes:** I'm going to try and use these as little as possible, but they may pop up from time to time.  
**(1)** **Chotto** - In Japanese a polite way to say 'Please wait (for a little while)' would be "**Chotto matte kudasai**," but this can be shortened to something less formal such as '**chotto**' or '**matte**,' but **chotto** actually means 'a little bit,' but in the context used it can be interpreted as 'wait' or 'hey' or any other way to get someone's attention.

Another note is that Jack will probably be swearing a bit more since the series gets him pretty darn close to it. I figure we might as well take it up a notch, just a little.

**Additional AN**: There is a reason this chapter is split into two parts, which I will explain at the end of the next chapter. Also, now on my profile you can find updates on the latest with **Missing Pieces** to see where I'm at and even a sneak preview on what's to come since I give little summaries on the next chapter, they might change from time to time, but if you don't want to know until the chapter comes out, that's fun too. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it. Remember to review or e-mail me to tell me what you think! I always appreciate your comments and constructive criticsm :) And now for the questions! I can't think of many right now, I'm very tired.

What will Keiko do now that she's out of the hospital? What will Kimiko do once she finds out her friend has just escaped from the hospital? What is Hannibal really up to? Where are the Xiaolin boys right now?


	8. Lie To Me Part II

**AN**: It bothers me so much and I'm not sure if anyone knows the answer as to why, but their robes are put on wrong! I figured that since this is a show based on Asian references, they would know, but it still bothers me. Being Asian myself with a great interest in my own culture as well as a few years training in martial arts, I've been taught to wear some sort of traditional clothing starting with the right side, then putting the left side over the right. Not right over left. In China it may be different, but I think with kimonos and gi's, it's still left over right. The only cases you wear it right over left is when you're dead, at your funeral :x That's just been bothering me for the longest time.

On another note, I'm debating if I should make my chapters shorter. Ever since the first one, my chapters have become longer and now twice as long as the starting one and so far they've only been getting longer. Just something to think about :x

**Thanks** to **Egglette**, I'm glad you liked the Ashley officer thing, I originally didn't plan to put it in, but it popped up while I was rewriting the parts that I didn't like. I'm also glad that you're starting to really like Keiko, I'll be getting into her character a little more after this chapter :) Hopefully she appeals to everyone and I know I neglected the Xiaolin boys, but if I added it in the last chapter, it would have been really long, so I decided to just cut it into here. Once we're out of Tokyo, we'll be able to have a lot more Xiaolin warrior versus Heylin action (I think? I tend to change things when I start actually writing the chapters). Thank you to **sianypie**, I'm glad you caught my Sailor Moon reference (I couldn't help it, them being in Japan and well, one thing leads to another...) and I'm glad you enjoyed the comical interaction between Keiko and Jack. You're right, Jack does have some style, parking his jet on the roof. Either that or he's incredibly lazy and stupid, but that's Jack for you... I guess. Also thank you to **krystalmaze** for the reviews on chapter 6 as well as chapter 7. I'm glad you like Jack and Keiko's interaction together. I'm also glad the weapon has your interest too, but it still won't be explained till later and I'm sorry if it's frustrating that I keep pushing back the confrontation between Keiko and Kimiko, but I think it'll be more fun this way!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

**Lie To Me Part II**

**

* * *

**

"Hurry up, Dojo!" Raimundo urged the dragon, digging his heels into his scales.

"Hey, hey! What am I, a pony?" Dojo snapped as he circled over the Tohomiko residence hundreds of feet above. It was high enough for them to watch the Tohomiko family interact with one another briefly without being noticed. Then Toshirou Tohomiko was soon in his car and drove off into one direction while Kimiko turned and headed down another. It was obvious who they were going to follow, but the question was _how _were they going to pull that off without being noticed or lose track of the small Japanese warrior?

"Why can't we follow Kimiko on Dojo?" Omi asked once they had waited for Kimiko to disappear from view. All the warriors dismounted, allowing Dojo to return to his normal size.

"Yeah, sure, Omi." Raimundo with a roll of his eyes as he started heading in the direction Kimiko had taken. "We'll just ride on Dojo and say he's a parade balloon."

"Parade?" Omi repeated, but Dojo interjected before he could question it further.

"Oh? So now you're comparing me to a giant balloon?" Dojo said with indignation. He slithered up towards Clay's hat as they followed Raimundo. "What did I say about the fat jokes? I'd like to see how in shape _you_ are in fifteen hundred years."

"Well, technically I have kept my shape after fifteen hundred years--" Omi began.

"I'm not sure if that's the same, lil' partner." Clay chuckled as Dojo crawled under his hat, poking his head out to eye Omi.

"That's dirty. You were asleep for the whole fifteen hundred years, so that doesn't count!" Dojo humphed. Before he hid back under Clay's hat, he added, "Which reminds me, I need my beauty sleep so if you need me, do me a favor by _not _needing me."

"Wait, Dojo!" Omi hopped up and snagged the dragon's tail from under Clay's hat. "You are still needed. Have you forgotten about finding the Shen Gong Wu?"

"Relax." Dojo in Omi's grasp, waving off his concern. "It'll be like an alarm clock for me. If I sense anything, I'll be up and about in no time."

Omi looked skeptical for a moment, but he extended his arm up towards Clay to let the dragon slither back under the cowboy's hat. Clay adjusted it and offered Omi a smile.

"Don't worry, partner. Things'll turn out fine. We always do manage to find a way."

"If you say so, my friend."

"What are you guys doing?" Raimundo shouted a fair distance away. He had his arms crossed over his chest, one foot tapping impatiently on the pavement before he threw his arms up in the air. "Kimiko's probably halfway to who knows where by now!"

"Do not get your undergarments into a spiral." Omi told Raimundo as they jogged up to meet him. Raimundo looked at him, a twitch starting at his brow, but he only turned away and made a grunt of a reply to signal that they keep moving.

* * *

It was pretty difficult to follow Kimiko during the busiest time of the day, then again, any time seemed busy as they were so many people up and about in the city of Tokyo. They were soon about to find out that where they were residing was completely different from the environment Kimiko lead them to. She headed toward a train station and pulled out a card to get through and waited on a bench near the entrance. Luckily enough, it gave the others time to figure out a way in. Their first attempt was stopped when they were unable to buy a ticket or convince the guard to let them in to retrieve something they had 'forgotten', possibly because they weren't able to communicate. At least, not with words.

They tried again.

This time they used a less noticeable approach. Walking away, they glanced back to see the guard return to his rounds and once they were out of plain sight, Clay took out the Serpent's Tail and phased all four of them through the wall farthest from the guard's line of sight. With the guard walking in the opposite direction, they were given enough time to find Kimiko boarding onto the train that had just pulled in. Clay phased through the metal and seated them two carts away from Kimiko.

The problem was that there was a small boy who had stepped in to the cart ahead of his mother, witnessing the whole scene. Omi noticed him and offered the child a grin, but it only seemed to arouse the boy to action. He had lost all color in his face and immediately attached himself to the skirt of the woman who stepped into the cart, wailing loudly. She could only look down at her son in confusion and glanced at the three boys suspiciously before turning into the cart next to them. They had to throw themselves onto the ground to avoid being seen by Kimiko when she happened to glance over in their direction to locate the source of the crying.

It was a long ride and they were still tired from last night's searching so it was inevitable that with all the constant rocking and and passing scenery they would be lulled back to sleep. Omi was the first to succumb as he fell against Raimundo's side. Raimundo looked at him in irritation, but made no move to wake him.

However, it was when Clay began to lean on him heavily that Raimundo began to worry. He elbowed the cowboy in the ribs, causing him to snort awake, but that only worked a few more times before Clay slumped over completely, pining Raimundo in the middle. His lungs in danger of being crushed, Raimundo shoved Omi off the seat roughly.

Omi let out a yelp of pain as he rolled to the other seat. A few passengers who had gotten on a stop earlier watched the boys in interest. Raimundo ignored their audience and slid through the open space Omi left so that he could take a proper breath to prepare him for the strength he needed to shove Clay off the seat and give him the same rude awakening.

"Rai, I'm warning you..." Clay growled as he pulled himself off the ground, rubbing his head. His hat and Dojo had tumbled off his head and was now resting at the foot of a passenger on the opposite side of the cart just as the train stopped.

"Can't a dragon get some sleep around here?" Dojo grumbled as he sat in the dip of Clay's hat, holding the rim as he looked around the train blearily. Then through the open doors he could see into the next two carts. He saw Kimiko standing up and exiting the train. "Hey, it's Kimiko!"

It was almost a repeat of last night as the entire train went into panic, setting off a chain reaction. People were screaming and babbling incoherently as they rushed away from the talking dragon. Clay, Raimundo, and Omi gave each other a look of understanding before Clay took out the Serpent's Tail, extending his hand out to Raimundo who in turn grabbed Omi's hand just as the small boy grabbed Clay's hat. No one noticed them phase right through the back of the train, out of view from the people trying to board the train, despite the current hysteria.

It was chaos, but Kimiko had already gotten off the train and was weaving her way through the crowd. By the time the others managed to find their way out of the mass of people, Kimiko was already merging into the streets.

Standing in front of the station and looking into the sea of people, they felt their hopes start to sink.

"Classic needle in a haystack, if I ever saw one." Clay commented in exhaustion.

"Clay, my friend, I believe you are confused." Omi informed the blonde, looking every bit as tired as the others. "We are searching for Kimiko among these people, not a needle in a haystack."

"I know that, lil' buddy..." Clay sighed.

Raimundo ran a hand over his face, moaning loudly.

* * *

From the moment Kimiko set foot on the train, she had felt as if someone was following her. Even now, walking towards her destination among throngs of people, she still felt as if she were being followed. Perhaps it was because she wasn't used to being back in the city among so many inhabitants or it could have been that her nerves were so frayed that she was now constantly on edge. It could have been a combination of things, but she brushed it as a passing thought since there were more important things she had to worry about.

It had been over twenty four hours since she had last slept and she knew she must have looked horrible, but she gave it little thought as she hurried to the hospital. Her father had reluctantly informed her of Keiko's whereabouts, realizing that if he didn't tell her, Kimiko was more than capable of finding out herself. The tension between them was high enough as it was when he refused to take sides, but it was clear that he couldn't mark Keiko as innocent.

Given the circumstances and overwhelming evidence against her friend, Kimiko understood how her father could be wary. However, Kimiko couldn't understand how Keiko could have done what she had on the camera. She was certain she knew that wasn't the same girl she considered as her friend. Keiko couldn't throw a grown man across the room. She could barely hold bags of groceries and she couldn't even take a flower from the school's bushes without feeling guilty, let alone technology from a major company belonging to Kimiko's father.

It didn't make sense.

Kimiko could have brain stormed over the possibilities of how it couldn't be true, but there would be no way she would ever know unless she asked Keiko herself. Despite how much Kimiko wanted to ask her or how much she wanted to talk to her and set things straight, Kimiko felt herself hesitating. The hospital was only a few blocks away, but her feet felt like lead dragging along the pavement. The wind was biting cold, but her skin felt numb and her world was spinning.

She shook her head once, trying to clear her thoughts and refocus her efforts. Now wasn't the time to let petty arguments to get in the way, not at a time like this. After all, it could all be just a big misunderstanding and the only way to clear that is to talk and get things out into the open. Kimiko knew this, but even then she couldn't shake the hesitance that she was feeling.

Soon Kimiko found herself staring up at the sky, watching the dark clouds move across the sky. Only patches of blue were visible sparsely above. She didn't realize she had stopped all together and was standing in the middle of a busy crosswalk as hundreds of people flooded across the streets in a steady flow all around her.

_What if_, Kimiko thought to herself, her head tilted back as she swayed on her feet. _What if she won't talk to me?_

_What if it really is because of me and she blames me for it?_

_Is it because I'm a Xiaolin dragon? _

_What if it is all my fault, like last time with papa?_

Another thought occurred to her as Keiko felt herself slipping.

_What if it _isn't

Kimiko closed her eyes as she felt herself falling back, the last question sending a painful tightness into her chest. She expected to feel the impact of the concrete against her back to help take her mind off her disturbing thoughts, but she felt only warmth and support as well as a worried voice calling out to her.

"Kimiko? Kimiko!"

Kimiko tilted her head to the side, opening her eyes as Raimundo came into view. He was supporting her under her arms and staring at her with concern.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Raimundo's expression suddenly changed to amazement. "Are you crying?"

Kimiko could only stare at him, trying to comprehend his words. It wasn't until he put her up onto her feet and reached out to brush a finger across her cheek that his words registered and she raised her own hand to her face. She felt the wetness, but she merely rubbed if off with her sleeve.

"Don't be stupid, Rai." Kimiko said thickly, surprising herself as well as the others. She cleared her throat, rubbing her sleeve over her eyes roughly. "It's raining."

Omi raised his hands up, frowning as he looked for moisture while Clay tipped his hat back to make his gaze visible.

"You gave us quite a worry, little missy." Clay told her. "You were standing out here for a while and we figured once you started swaying it was time to show ourselves."

"Did you get any sleep?" Raimundo asked sharply, studying the circles beneath her eyes carefully.

"Did you?" Kimiko shot back. "You guys look worse than I do."

"I highly doubt that." Clay gave her a once over. "I reckon you should take a gander at yourself before you start roping us down."

"I don't need this," Kimiko moaned as she turned away. She started back on her path, giving no indication that she knew that they were still following her, but she didn't discourage their decision either. Her pace started out quickly, but soon it began to slow down without her realization.

The others were now walking at her sides. She shot them a look out of the corners of her eyes. "I thought you guys were going to go back and talk to Master Fung."

"We were. However, we believe there is a good chance that the Shen Gong Wu may still be found. " Omi explained, then added as an afterthought, " And of course, we were worried about you."

"You're concern touches me." Kimiko told him dryly, but she was smiling.

"Where are we headin'?" Clay asked.

"Hospital." Kimiko answered hesitantly, then rushed on. "It's not what you think."

"What did you think we thought?" Omi asked.

"I..." Kimiko blinked at him slowly, even stopping for a moment. "Could you try that again?"

"I think he means to say, what do you mean by that?" Clay supplied as they continued on their way.

"I don't know what's going on through your heads." Kimiko said defensively, her lack of sleep catching up to her and resulting in mood swings. "Why don't you tell me the answer to that?"

"Chill." Raimundo said, raising an eyebrow. "We didn't say anything. We just want to know what's up."

"My friend's in the hospital." Kimiko said with an apologetic look. "Sorry, I'm just a little tired."

"I'll say." Raimundo agreed cheerfully, earning himself a glare. "What? I'm just agreeing with you."

"Who is this friend of yours?" Omi asked.

"Remember Keiko? My friend in Tokyo, well, here?" There were hesitant nods. "Well, we're going to meet her."

"Wait." Raimundo looked over at Kimiko with wide eyes. "Is this the same friend you went ballistic over last time?"

"Ballistic?" Kimiko repeated in confusion just as the hospital came into view. She pressed the button to cross. "What are you talk--"

The memories flooded back of her cell phone and wallet, causing Kimiko to clench her hands into fists.

"Yes." Kimiko said tightly, her anger rising again. "I'm so glad you reminded me."

"No problem." Raimundo told her, half-jokingly. He took a step back at the look he received for his comment, then quickly pointed at the light. "I think we can cross."

Kimiko gave him one last look before she let it go and lead them across the street. It wasn't until they were on the other side of the street did they realize that the hospital was humming with excitement. Kimiko felt her stomach turn at the sight of so many officers walking around the grounds. She moved passed them quickly, breaking away from the others and headed straight for the information desk.

Clay, Omi and Raimundo followed her into the building, but held back from the desk as Kimiko hurried towards it, gripping the edge tightly as she stopped before the receptionist, speaking in Japanese. They were unable to understand what was being said, but by reading the expressions of their faces, they could guess what was happening. Kimiko's voice took on a hint of desperation as she continued to speak, but the woman would only shake her head in response. Kimiko took a step back then slowly looked over at her comrades.

Before they even had time to form questions on their tongues, Kimiko turned away and took off to the stairwell. Rather than wait for the elevator, she hurried up the steps, letting the door swing open behind her. The receptionist called after her, alerting a few officers to the disturbance just after the others took off in pursuit.

"What happened? What'd she say?" Raimundo asked between breaths as they hurried to catch up with her.

"Got me, partner." Clay answered as he ran behind Raimundo. Dojo peeked out from under the hat, shaking with Clay as the teenager continued to run up the steps.

"Wh-what's goin-ing on?" Dojo rattled out. "I c-c-can't slee-e-ep!"

"Sorry, lil' buddy." Clay apologized. "But we're in a hurry here."

"Kimiko is most upset." Omi called out.

Kimiko had finally stopped climbing the steps only a floor above them. She burst out the door, banging it against the wall.. Before it could fall back into it's frame, Raimundo shoved it back open, followed by Clay and Omi as they skidded to a halt, catching a glimpse of Kimiko turning a corner. Raimundo pointed in her direction before hurrying around the corner after her, slowing to a jog when they realized they were being stared at rather harshly by patients and hospital staff alike.

It wasn't long before they heard a door swinging open, watching it hit the wall and slam back into the door frame. Patients and hospital staff were still looking in their direction and the Xiaolin warriors could only offer sheepish smiles as they slipped into the room and carefully closed the door behind them.

It was just a plain room, with the exception of the IV pole lying in the middle of the room and the sheets rumpled and hanging over the edge of the room. Kimiko stood near the door as the others moved around to her side. They glanced at one another to exchange a look of confusion, but before they could react a man entered the room from behind, nearly bumping into Kimiko. He stepped back, blinking at the teenagers in surprise, but soon narrowed his eyes as his expression became hard.

The young boys looked at one another at a loss as they were unable to explain to him the situation (not that they knew what was going on, exactly), but as they turned to Kimiko, they felt their attempts die off their tongues at her expression. Her eyes were wide and glassy, her hands in front of her as if she were about to reach out and grab something. She took a step forward, then another towards the bed, then looked up around the room, here eyes landing on the open window on the other side of it. She hurried over and rather than walking around the bed, she crawled over it. Once she stood in front of the window she experimentally slid it open, then closed, then open back to how she found it.

The older man, an officer depicted by his blue uniform, was speaking more forcefully, catching Kimiko's attention. Kimiko whirled around and began responding. At first the officer was frowning, but then his expression turned to irritation as he walked over and grabbed Kimiko by the arm. The others grew defensive and jumped to her side, pulling her arm from his grasp.

"What's going on, Kim?" Raimundo asked her, even as his eyes were focused on the angry officer before them.

She's not here.' Kimiko said in a strange voice, causing the others to look at her. "She..."

"Your friend?" Omi questioned quietly.

"They said she just went missing." Kimiko swallowed, clearing her throat as she shook her head. "They think she escaped."

"Escaped?" Clay repeated, looking at her in surprise. "What? She broke out of the hospital?"

"I don't..." Kimiko took a deep breath, steeling a look at the officer. "I don't know. That's what they're saying."

"Are you sure that's all they're saying?" Raimundo asked as another officer appeared in the doorway, looking just as irritated as the first. "Because I think they might have said something else."

"They don't want us in here." Kimiko said angrily. "We're causing a disruption."

Kimiko then broke into Japanese, taking a step forward as she confronted the officer. He frowned at her and replied shortly before turning to his comrade and nodding his head towards the teenagers. The other officer stepped in and spoke to them, causing Kimiko to glower.

"Kimi-"

"We have to go." Kimiko said with tightly controlled anger as she jerked her arm out of the officer's reach, heading for the door. The others quickly followed, giving the adults their own hard looks.

Omi opened his mouth to question what else was said, but Raimundo clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking his head as he gave a subtle glance towards the policemen following them at a distance. They passed by a few nurses that were conversing to one another by their station. Kimiko suddenly stopped, forcing the others to bump into her lightly, but the officers ushered them towards the elevator and had them moving again. Kimiko glanced over her shoulder at the cluster of nurses who were still talking, one in particularly looking distracted as her gaze found Kimiko's, but she quickly looked away.

It wasn't long before they were escorted out of the building, the officers making one last comment, most likely a warning, before returning to the building. Kimiko stood where they had been left, looking into the lobby with a frown marring her features, her eyes narrowed.

"They're really going all out for your friend." Raimundo commented after a while. "Lots of police. Could be a little nicer though."

"We have to find her." Kimiko said as she turned to them, her eyes pleading. "We can't let them find her."

"What?" They asked in union.

"Why can't we let them find her? I know it's been a while since I've dealt with the authorities and I don't know if it's run different here, but aren't police usually the best ones to look for missing persons?" Clay frowned as he scratched at the back of his head.

"You don't understand." Kimiko said, her voice starting to die into a whisper.

"Kimiko, I think you are exhausted. Perhaps we should get some rest before we do anything drastic." Omi suggested, but Kimiko was shaking her head, her voice rising an octave and her eyes wide.

"No, no, you don't understand." Kimiko cried out. "We can't. We have to find her, please."

"Uh-uh, no way." Raimundo shook his head as he waved his arms to emphasize his disapproval of the idea. "Go on another wild goose chase? I don't think so."

"Then go home!" Kimiko shouted at him, tears starting at the corner of her eyes. The boys were stunned into silence as Kimiko continued, her voice shaking from a mixture of shock and fatigue. "I don't know why you have to always butt into my business, I told you to go back. This is my problem and if you're just going to slow me down then just get out of here--"

"Woah, woah. Calm down, girl." Raimundo said in alarm as he reached over and took her shoulders into his hands. He rubbed them lightly, forcing her to look up at him and focus on his face. "All right, if we don't understand why don't you shine some light on what we can't see?"

"Raimundo, is it not bright enough--?" Omi questioned, but Raimundo looked at him sharply.

"Not the time, Omi." He managed to ground out before turning back to Kimiko.

"I don't... she isn't..." Kimiko was unable to form a comprehensible sentence as she looked at Raimundo, glancing over at Omi who was staring at her attentively, then over to Clay and Dojo who had lifted up his hat to clear his view. "I can't... why?"

"Kimiko?" Raimundo encouraged quietly, but rather than soothing her into calming down enough to answer their questions, it had the opposite affect.

Kimiko started to cry, her sleeves lifting to wipe at her eyes and attempt to stop the tears from falling. She cried out of frustration, uncertainty and disappointment. She cried because they couldn't find the Shen Gong Wu they came for. She cried because she felt as if she had lost her best friend and was on her way to losing the rest of them. She cried because her father didn't believe her. She cried because she was tired and weak. She cried because she hadn't talked to Keiko in over a month and now that she had finally gotten the chance to see her she had gone missing and was in danger of being arrested.

The boys were at a loss at what to do as they turned to one another for answers, but they could find none. Finally, Dojo slipped out from Clay's hat and managed to find his way around Kimiko's shoulders, hugging her cheek with his tiny arms. Kimiko muffled her crying with one hand to her mouth, angry with herself that she had succumbed to tears so easily, but soon Omi was resting a hand on her arm. Clay followed suit by resting his own hand on her shoulder as Raimundo shifted his hand, causing her knees to buckle at the added weight, but she understood the meaning behind the gesture. Raimundo squeezed her other shoulder to show his support, offering her a smile.

Fatigue taking over her body, Kimiko allowed herself a watery smile before she fell into darkness.

* * *

"You know, it's nice to see the city once in a while." Jack commented lightly.

Keiko looked over at him slowly, then outside the window out at the city below. She had to admit that it was a sight to see from this angle, but after seeing nothing but skyscrapers and concrete for her whole life, Keiko found it to be nothing special. She wanted to question where he lived if he didn't get to see much of the city, but she was too tired to even attempt. Instead, she let it slip from her mind as she eased back into the seat, watching the clouds creep by.

When Jack received no response to his comment, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, darting a glance at the silent girl sitting next to him. He wasn't use to being in confined spaces with someone who would barely acknowledge his presence. At least with the Xiaolin warriors, there was action and a lot of screaming (mostly on his part, not that he'd admit to it) to keep them occupied or with Wuya there was constant beleaguering with insults, nagging and sarcastic comments on his latest plans. It was a very rare occasion to be in an almost leisure ride with someone in silence.

It was a little unnerving.

Jack cleared his throat, coughing to break the silence.

Keiko kept her head turned away from him, staring out the side of the jet with her elbow on the arm rest to support her head beneath her chin.

He sulked at the lack of attention he was receiving. Whether it were praises or insults, at least either way he was being acknowledged.

"You never told me."

Jack jumped when Keiko spoke. He looked over at her, but Keiko was still facing away from him.

"Told you what?" Jack asked, turning his attention back to the path ahead, despite the fact that it was on auto-pilot.

"Why she's here." Keiko answered.

"Who?" Jack asked, frowning.

Keiko's elbow slipped off the arm rest, nearly resulting her hitting her chin on the arm rest. She turned to him incredulously.

"Who?" Keiko made a half turn so now that she was facing him. "The one responsible for your impromptu visit."

"Yeah, not following." Jack said unconcernedly.

"Were you just lying then?" Keiko asked him sharply, then slumped in her seat. "Not that it would make much of a difference now."

"Kimiko!" Jack suddenly shouted, then looked at her. "That's who you were talking about!"

Keiko could only stare at him.

"Wait, what about Kimiko?" Jack's triumphant look turned back into confusion, but soon his face lit up again. "Oh, right. Yeah, she's here in the city."

"You established that earlier." Keiko said quietly, still amazed by his intelligence. "I'm asking _why_?"

"Why?" Jack looked thoughtful. "Why? That is a good question."

"I can't believe this." Keiko said to herself as she slumped even lower in her seat. She straightened up at a sudden idea. "I'm going to call her."

"Sure---Wait!" Jack looked at her sharply as Keiko pulled out her cell phone. He lunged at her, but considering his luck he missed and hit his head against the arm rest, which happened to be made of steel. He moaned and slumped over his own seat, his lower half in the air as his head slid down to the floor.

Keiko felt the impact through the chair, but her main focus was on the phone in her hand. She frowned as Jack climbed his way back into his seat, moaning pitifully and completely forgetting the reason why he was going through so much pain. It wasn't until she had shut her phone that he recalled what had just happened and looked at her fearfully.

"It's disconnected." Keiko said.

Jack held back a sigh of relief as he turned his attention back to the control panel.

"That's too bad."

"I'll call her house phone." Keiko remembered, opening her phone again. Jack tensed.

"I wouldn't." He said quickly as he watched her lift the phone to her ear. "She won't answer! She's not home!"

After a while Keiko hung up.

"She wasn't. No one was."

"I told you." Jack said, loosening up as he calmed his racing heart.

"You told me she was in the city." Keiko said quietly, staring at the control panel. "Where in the city?"

"What do you think I'm doing now? I'm taking you to see her!" Jack lied.

"What?" Keiko turned to him sharply. "You can't!"

"What?" Now Jack was confused. "I thought you wanted to see her?"

"Not like this." Keiko told him, emphasizing by gesturing to her current physical state. "Look at me!"

"So you look a little dirty--("_A little?_")--I mean, who cares? It's been a while, she'll just be happy to see your face."

"That's great." Keiko agreed. "But you're going to take me home and just tell me where she is. That way I can make myself at least partially decent enough to go out in public."

"I don't--" Jack began, but a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Okay."

"I don't care what you say, I'm not going out like this and--" Keiko blinked. "Okay?"

"Okay, you're right. You actually do look like crap." Jack agreed. "Just tell me where you live."

Keiko clenched her hand around her phone, but she told him her address. He tapped away at his control panel and soon the jet was gradually changing direction. If he was going to bring her home, he couldn't be that bad and he had helped her get out of the hospital, for the most part anyway. She let it go.

"And when I say crap, I mean--" But apparently, Jack couldn't. "I've seen some pretty ugly hags (_Wuya_, he thought with a grimace) and you could give them a run for their money the way you look right now--"

She let the phone fly.

* * *

As Jack set his jet on the roof of Keiko's building, a problem occurred to her.

She didn't have her keys.

It wasn't a big problem, but it put a damper on her plans because she was actually planning on locking him out on the roof or at least out of her apartment to give herself enough time to call the police or alert the neighbors. She even debated actually tricking him by leading him to one of her neighbors apartments to help restrain him, but they were many flaws to that plan. One, it was doubtful that any of her neighbors were home because most of them were average families who had parents that went to work all day and children that went to school. Two, she didn't exactly know the neighbors very well and three, she was really cold and it would be nice to be in her own clothes as soon as possible.

Sighing at her lack of options, she approached the self-proclaimed evil boy genius and took a deep breath.

"I don't have my keys."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Jack said angrily, still nursing the recent bump on his head, courtesy of Nagatsuka Keiko.

"I can't get in to my apartment." Keiko said slowly, as if speaking to someone of lower intelligence.

Jack scowled at her.

"I know what you meant!" He snapped.

"Then you know what I want you to do." Keiko retorted just as angrily.

"Maybe if you asked _nicely_." Jack stretched out the last word.

"Please help me break into my apartment?" Keiko asked hurriedly, wincing at her own choice of words.

Jack blinked at her. A scowl worked it's way on to his face.

"You're no fun!" He whined.

Keiko looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"Fine, I'll think of something else." Jack grouched as he crossed his arms over his chest. An idea came to him and he looked at her with a sneer. "Apologize first."

"For what?" Keiko frowned. Jack glared at her and so did the bump on his forehead. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"That's it?" Jack hissed, throwing his hands into the air. "No complaining? No 'it was your fault' (which is wasn't!)? You'll just say it?"

"Sorry?" Keiko offered, but quickly pressed on. "Let's go--"

"No!" Jack snapped. Keiko looked at him incredulously. He waved his hands in the air, "You did it all wrong!"

"Did you want that in another language?" Keiko guessed.

"No!" Jack shot at her.

"Then what?" Keiko threw up her own hands in exasperation. "What is it?"

"You're supposed to refuse." Jack told her, giving her a look that stated it should have been obvious. Keiko opened her mouth to comply, but Jack shook his head and continued. "Not just that. You're suppose to refuse and _then_ give in. And when you do it, you do it as if it's the most painful thing in the world!"

"Oh... okay." Keiko managed to get out, her teeth starting to chatter. "By standing out here even though I already said what you wanted to hear is pretty painful too. Will that do?"

Jack considered the idea.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" He shrugged as he headed towards the door. He tried the handle. He stopped when the door refused to open and looked over at Keiko as she stopped a few steps behind him.

"Oh, unlock that door too. Thanks." Keiko added belatedly as Jack rolled his eyes and set to work.

* * *

"Ta-da!" He said for the third time that day as Jack had opened up the door to her apartment. Keiko stepped passed him without a word, stopping just before the step that lead to the hallway and into the living room. She stood there and took in the scene she had witnessed thousands of times before, but at that moment it felt as if it had been ages since she had last stood in that apartment. Keiko stepped into the hall and turned into her kitchen, taking in every detail, before turning back out and nearly running into Jack as she headed into her living room.

Jack stumbled against the wall, blinking as he looked at the kitchen, then turned to the living room where the linoleum ended and carpet began. He was about to set foot when Keiko whirled around, pointing a finger at him.

"What are you doing?" She asked almost angrily.

"Walking?" Jack guessed.

"You can't..." She sighed, taking a deep breath before starting again more calmly. "You don't walk around in someone's home with your shoes on."

"What?" Jack blinked at her, arching an eyebrow. "You're telling me I have to take off my shoes?"

"Yes, at the door. It's unsanitary to walk around in your shoes in someone's house when you walk around in them outside stepping on who knows what!" Keiko lectured as she stepped towards him and began to push him away from the carpet, ignoring his protests and struggles. Keiko stopped suddenly, jerking her hands away from him and jumping away, causing Jack to make a short yelp of surprise before he fell backwards and hit the ground.

"What am I doing?" Keiko asked herself, blinking rapidly. She stepped back from the moaning teenager.

_I'm playing hostess to some crazy thief,_ Keiko thought to herself and grimaced. _How could I have forgotten?_

"That's what I want to know!" Jack snapped as he got back to his feet, interrupting her thoughts.

Keiko gave him a look, then turned away, heading towards her room.

"Hey! No one walks away from Jack Spicer!" He yelled after her, but didn't follow. Then he added when Keiko didn't reply, "That's right! You better walk away in fear of me, Jack Spicer, prince of darkness!"

Keiko had stopped listening as she stood in her room, closing the door behind her. She sighed at the familiarity and nostalgia that assaulted her and collapsed on her knees at the side of her futon, reaching for her pillow to hold it in her arms tightly. It was almost possible for her to believe that none of it had happened and that she had merely drifted off like this in her room, while doing her homework or chores around the house.

"And another thing--" A voice drifted into the hallway.

She _almost_ could if it weren't for a certain insane, loud mouth boy and the fact that she was in a thin cotton gown with his coat on. She could only hope that he had taken off his shoes, but she doubted it as she shrugged off his coat, folding it up and placing it on her pillow neatly, before rummaging through her closet for something a lot more comfortable and warmer to wear. She took her time as she knew that if Karen had gone to the Tohomiko building, she would stay there to help the investigation and if her mother hadn't come to visit her, that meant Karen hadn't told her or her mother just hadn't gotten the message because she was in another city for a business trip.

Keiko paused in her searching at the thought of her mother and of her cousin's hurtful behavior and lack of concern. She couldn't jump to conclusions because they probably had their reasons, but for the only visitors to be a nurse, who had to check on her as part of her job, and a crazy thief who slipped in through the window, it was a little disappointing.

Meanwhile, Jack had quieted down, inspecting her home for any signs that Kimiko may have been there. He had gotten side-tracked a couple of times by the strange devices he saw from time to time, but he managed to stay focus. However, Jack had searched the entire apartment before the hallway to the other rooms and could find nothing. He guessed that anything he wanted to find would be in her room, but he knew that he wouldn't have a chance to look there when she was already _inside_ of it and it could even turn out that Keiko might have nothing but information by word of mouth.

Frustrated, he dropped to the floor in a cross legged position, his elbows resting on his thighs as his palms were propped under his chin. With nothing to do but to wait for his well of information to finish getting dressed, he spotted the remote to the television set and reached over to turn it on.

Keiko opened her door to her room once she had finished changing. She had left her jacket, gloves, hat, and a bag filled with certain necessities on her bed next to Jack's coat, but she moved across the hall to the bathroom that was near the living room. She chanced a glance at what Jack was doing, registering the noise of the television set. She was mildly amused by his expression of confusion as the television was set on a cooking channel. His face turned to that of disgust as they spoke about how to prepare an eel, which increased her amusement, but the moment she stepped into the bathroom and turned on the light, Keiko blanched.

She felt miserable all over again as she saw the light bruises on her face and the bandages that seemed to blend in with her skin that seemed even paler than before. The worst was when she saw the actual state of her hair. She touched the uneven strands at both sides of her head before opening up the cabinet behind the mirror, taking an array of gels and conditioners as well as a few brushes and combs from the bathroom. She started to wet her hair and ran a small amount of conditioner through her hair, trying to clean her scalp, but stopped when she realized she was missing one of the most important tools.

Keiko headed out of the bathroom, passing by Jack to look through one of the cabinets as he continued to flip through the channels.

"_... robbery that took places just late last night._"

Keiko found the item she was looking for. A pair of scissors. Ordinary scissors not specially made for cutting hair, but she would make do.

"_A major technology and gaming corporation was robbed right in the heart of our city some time after eleven, police said in reports. The Tohomiko skyscraper was where the crime took place--" _

Keiko's hand hovered over the scissors as she glanced over her shoulder at the television screen.

"_--and sources believe that the suspect is said to be a young girl, a local teenage resident of Japanese decent Soon after the crime scene was discovered, the suspect was sent to one of the hospitals in the Shinjuku ward. Apparently she was injured during the robbery, but it is not confirmed whether the culprit is guilty, but in light of her recent escape from the hospital--"_

"Isn't there any program with spoken in _English_?" Jack asked in irritation as he changed the channel.

"No!" Keiko yelled as she lunged at him. "Change it back!"

Jack whimpered , staring at her hand with wide eyes as he dropped the remote and crawled away from her backwards. Keiko had no time to be confused by his behavior as she changed it back, only to find that the news he changed to a different topic. She turned to another news station, finding only a confirmation on what she just heard. She stared at the screen in horror as she heard them brand her as a criminal.

"How?" Keiko turned to Jack sharply. "You!"

"Me?" He squeaked, backing away a few more inches.

"You!" Keiko repeated, brandishing a hand at him angrily. "Because of you I'm a criminal!"

"I don't even know what you're talking about!" Jack panicked, raising his arms over his head as Keiko stepped closer. "Don't hurt me! Not the face! Not the hair!"

"What?" Keiko frowned, then noticed that in her shock she had been clutching the pair of scissors the whole time. She debated putting them down, but at his plea about his hair, she began to reconsider the idea, but soon the idea was pushed out of her head as a greater concern came to mind. "Wait."

"Don't hurt me!" Jack squeaked as he backed himself into the wall, but Keiko had put the scissors away and was turned back to the television.

Jack peeked through his arms after a minute of only the murmur of the television. He slowly lowered them as he saw Keiko facing her back to him, staring at the screen intently for a few moments before changing the channels with increasing vigor. Then she whirled around him, brandishing the remote that would cause a less damage than the scissors, but the anger in her eyes seemed to frighten him the most.

"Why am I the only one? Why aren't you and that girl being reported?" Keiko asked Jack angrily, pointing at the screen.

Jack couldn't understand what the reporter were saying, but by Keiko's angry inquiry he could guess what the problem was. He wracked his brain for an answer as Keiko waited, glaring at him and putting his nerves on edge. Realization dawned on his face and he let out a laugh.

"Oh yeah, About that..." Jack got up to his feet, uncomfortable with the way Keiko towered over him. Now that he was looking down at her angry countenance, he felt more confident in his answer and continued. "I managed to keep the camera's from catching whatever happened on that floor so no one could link it back to me."

Keiko stayed silent, but her eyes widened.

"I guess you must have been seen going into the building and since you were the only one they found on the floor unconscious, someone could easily assume that..." Jack trailed off.

Keiko shook her head.

"No, that can't be enough to incriminate me." Keiko said, her voice shaking. "I... I just have to tell them."

"Yeah, after you just broke out of the hospital, I'm sure they'll believe you." Jack sneered, suddenly seeing things start to turn in his favor.

"But, that..." Keiko trailed off, her eyes widening as she looked up at him. "That's why you were helping me!"

Jack merely grinned, although this wasn't part of his initial plan, it was starting to work out beautifully for him. Keiko felt her breathing coming out in short gasps as she took a step back, but Jack grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him more for his safety than to frighten her as he eyed the scissors out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll make a deal with you." Jack said as Keiko tried to regain control over her breathing. "I'll help you clear your name if you help _me_."

"He-help you?" Keiko managed to gasp out. "How?"

"You tell me what I want to know." Jack told her, "Just a little information, that's all."

"I don't... I..." Keiko began to sway on her feet. "I feel sick."

"It's not that much to ask, you're getting the better deal here!" Jack protested, but alarm began to creep into his gaze as Keiko's pale skin took on a tinge of green, her eyes starting to grow glassy. "Hey, you don't look so good."

Keiko felt the room begin to spin, feeling like she had earlier in the hospital, only many times worse. She felt nauseous and weak as her knees buckle out from under her. Only vaguely did she hear Jack's voice calling out to her as her vision began to blur. She managed to make out a red and black blob in front of her. Unable to stop herself, she doubled over to heave out what little that was left in her stomach, her eyes rolling back into her head as she finally succumbed to the physical and emotional exhaustion that overwhelmed her.

* * *

After Kimiko had fainted, the boys panicked. It took them a moment to remember that they had just exited the hospital and quickly rushed her back in. The policemen from earlier tried to stop them, but upon seeing Kimiko's condition they quickly backed away and alerted the nearest nurse. It was difficult as they were unable to understand the officers or the hospital staff without Kimiko and when they had tried to take her away, confusion broke out. In the end, one of the nurses went in search of someone who could help solve the problem while the others allowed the nurses to take Kimiko away and managed to signal to them that the boys were to wait outside.

All of them were nervous, displaying their own habits to show it in subtle ways, but soon a older man approached them. He was a doctor in the hospital and one of the nurses that had left them earlier was standing behind him.

"You were the ones to bring in the young girl?" The doctor questioned the nearest one, but soon all of them were on their feet and talking to him all at once as they bombarded him with questions, excited to find someone who they could understand and who could understand them.

"Is she okay?"

"What happened to her?"

"Can we see her?"

"Calm yourselves. She's fine." The doctor said in surprise, raising his hands to signal for silence. "She's just very tired. She's resting right now but it's nothing serious. Yes, you may see her. We just need to confirm her identity before we inform her family--"

"Oh, that won't be necessary." Omi told the doctor, causing Raimundo and Clay to glance over at each other uneasily. "We will be able to take care of Kimiko as we are in a hurry to search for her friend as well as the Shen Gon--"

"He means," Raimundo had clamped a hand over Omi's mouth. "That is Kimiko Tohomiko and we're her friends that she's been looking for and we were wondering if it'd be okay if we were to go in and see her?"

"Right now she's asleep, but you may see her." The doctor nodded as he pointed to a room nearby.

Raimundo thanked him as he pushed Omi towards the room, Clay trailing behind them. Rather than finding Kimiko fast asleep, they were surprised to find her wide awake, already swinging her legs over the side of the bed and landing on her feet. She swayed in place which had the boys at her side in a second, but she waved them off.

"Kimiko, you just fainted. Do you think it is wise to be on your feet so soon?" Omi asked in concerned.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired." Kimiko rasped out, clearing her throat quickly at the expressions on their faces. Her voice a little more normal, she tried again, "I'm okay. Really, we can just go guys."

"Well, you look more shaken than a green horn rider after being tossed off a bucking bronco for the first time." Clay frowned as Kimiko winced.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." Kimiko murmured as she ran her hands over her face, patting her cheeks lightly to wake herself up. "Okay! I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Raimundo asked in confusion.

"To look for Keiko. I told you, she's gone and we have to find her."

"Keiko? That's the one who's missing?" Raimundo asked. "Why? What happened?"

"She got hurt because she was caught up in a break in." Kimiko said quickly, then started heading out of the room. "Okay, let's go!"

"Wait," Dojo made his presence known as he popped out from under Clay's hat. "What about the Shen Gong Wu?"

"Do you feel anything?" Omi asked him.

"Well, no, but if you're going to be looking for some escaped patient, you might as well search for the Wu too." Dojo muttered. Kimiko gave him a glare and he laughed nervously as he slinked back under Clay's hat. "Or I'll just tell you if I sense anything."

"Woah, woah! Rewind!" Raimundo interrupted as he stood in the doorway, preventing her from leaving. "When did she get hurt and why isn't she here anymore? Why can't the police handle it?"

"Last night and I don't know, Rai!" Kimiko said in frustration. She looked disgusted at the mention of the police. "I can't trust them, the nurses had her sedated earlier, but she still got out somehow! Now she's somewhere in the city about to pass out or someone kidnapped her and won't have any resistance because they overdosed her! Look, if you're not going to help me, then don't! I can find her myself, just don't get in my way!"

"Hold on, little missy." Clay began. "We're just worried, is all. We wouldn't abandon you, of course we'll help."

"Clay is right." Omi agreed, "We are your friends, Kimiko. We are merely worried about your health."

"Th-thank you." Kimiko said quietly. She looked at them miserably for a moment. "I'm sorry. A lot's happened and I'm just a little overwhelmed, I shouldn't be taking it out on you guys."

"That's for sure." Clay gave Raimundo a look, but the Brazilian boy just shrugged. "Just agreeing with her."

"I just need to find her, I'll tell you everything later." _When I find out what's actually going on myself_, Kimiko thought as she was still in disbelief of what was happening.

"Wait, how do you know she's sedated?" Raimundo asked.

"The nurses." Kimiko started, recalling them from their earlier encounter. "They were talking and I overheard them. One of them had given Keiko pills to keep her at rest, but when they didn't take effect, she dissolved another into water and gave it to her."

There was a period of silence as the others let the information sink in.

"All right." Raimundo agreed before turning around. He crouched down with his arms behind his back.

Kimiko stared at him in confusion as Raimundo kept in that position for a long moment. Finally, he looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at her.

"What's taking so long? Get on!"

Kimiko blinked, then approached him cautiously. She tentatively put one hand on one shoulder, then did the same with the other. The moment she had placed her hands down on his shoulders, Raimundo swept up her legs and stood up, causing Kimiko to emit a squeak of surprise.

"Rai--" She began angrily, but he cut her.

"I don't think the doctor's going to be happy about us leaving with you so we better do this as quietly and quickly as possible." Raimundo informed the other two.

"Of course! I can do this quite easily. I am a most skilled Xiaolin warrior, it will be a most simple a task for me to go unnoticed!" Omi said rather loudly as he puffed out his chest. Clay smiled in amusement as Raimundo felt his ire rise.

"Fine, okay." Raimundo said in a harsh whisper. "Let's just go already!"

Omi made to reply, but Clay shook his head at him. The young boy looked at him in confusion, but Raimundo was already creeping out the door, followed closely behind by Clay. Omi, fearing he'd be left behind, quickly followed after them. He was so focused on catching up that he missed seeing the doctor turning the corner and hit Omi straight on.

Both the doctor and Omi hit at the same time. Omi blinked to find the same man who had informed them of Kimiko's condition, scrambling to his feet to bow in apology.

"Please forgive me, I was not aware of your presence, honorable sir." Omi bowed low, looking up in time to see Raimundo, Clay, and Dojo (from beneath Clay's hat) waving him over hurriedly. "But I am in a hurry so please excuse me!"

The doctor blinked in surprise as he watched the small boy run off to his friends and out of sight. There seemed something strange about the scene, but he shrugged it off as he got to his feet. He turned his attention back to the room to inspect his newest patient, only to find the room empty. Now realizing what he had found odd, he had noticed that one of the young boys were carrying the young girl on his back. He sighed and shook his head.

"Why are the young always in such a rush?"

* * *

**Additional AN**: Keiko's a criminal? This may make things a little more complicated between her and Kimiko. I'm very tired right now, so all I can say is I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated :) Oh and the reason **Lie To Me** was split into two parts was because it was part one to show Kimiko's reaction to the news and part two to focus on Keiko's reaction to the situation. Any questions, please just review or e-mail me. Thanks for reading.

Will Keiko and Kimiko finally get to see one another? What will Jack be able to find out and just exactly what is going on with the other Heylin warriors? Most importantly, what is Hannibal Bean planning? Where is the Hollow weapon? Stay tuned! (I really am tired)


	9. Leaving On A Jet Plane

**AN**: I actually saw an episode without Jack Spicer in it. :x Blasphemy!

Just kidding.

I really think the whole reason I even got interested in the series enough to actually post a story was because of Spicer, he's just a really great character. He makes you laugh, he makes you cheer, and he makes you want to cringe at the antics that he pulls off. Anyway, that episode wasn't so bad, though. It was still enjoyable because Omi and Raimundo are pretty funny themselves and Guan is pretty cool. The whole bat guano and Raimundo's play on Master Monk Guan's name was so lame! But it still made me smile. I can only hope that's the only episode Jack will ever be missing from :x Let's not make it a habit.

**Author Rant**: I finally got an mp3 player! Still figuring out how to use it, so much little things. Lots of stuff going on so it might be a while for the next chapter comes out :x This one was kind of hard to write, so I hope it's not too badly written. Enjoy.

**Thanks** to **krystalmaze**, I'm glad you sympathize with Keiko. Thank you to **Kitty**, I'm glad to know other people agree with me and do read my rants from time to time, although, I hope you enjoyed my story as well. At least, so far. Also, thanks to **Egglette**, I might have overdone it on the fainting, but considering the situation I think it's justified. Emotional exhausted and thrown into complicated situations and all. Again, I'm really happy that you think Jack is entertaining and in character. I'm also very happy to hear that you're favoring my story, I hope my story doesn't take a turn for the worst and cause you or anyone else who was brave enough to list my story under their favorites to change their mind. Reviews are always appreciated :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown

* * *

**Leaving On A Jet Plane**

**

* * *

**

Jack had managed to catch Keiko by the shoulders before she fell face first into her own mess. He grimaced at feeling just how much of a mess she made on the carpet with his bare feet. It wasn't that bad, considering most of it had caught onto the material of his pants and considering he had been through worse.

"Lovely." He murmured to himself with a shudder as he lifted one foot from the mess. Feeling Keiko starting to slip from his grasp at his movement, he quickly refocused on the girl that was currently nothing but dead weight in his hands. He maneuvered both of them away from the mess before scooping her legs up and carrying her bridal style.

With each step he took, he couldn't help but make a sound of disgust, finally given in to his instincts to shake off the mess from his foot. It splattered across the lower walls of the room and out over the carpet, but it wasn't his house, so why should it matter to him?

Jack carried the unconscious girl to the bathroom, taking him only a moment to find what he was looking for. He bent down to sit the small girl on the floor, propped up against the toilet as he turned to the bath tub and stuck his feet in. He turned the knobs until he adjusted it to a lukewarm temperature before grabbing the nearest bottle of shampoo and dumping half the bottles contents on his feet.

"_Take off your shoes,_" Jack said in a horrible attempt at mimicking Keiko's voice. "_You can't walk around in someone's house like that, it's unsanitary!_ Unsanitary, my ass!"

He quickly shook off his feet, clearing it of soap as the entire tub continued to froth quietly once he had shut off the faucet. Jack turned back to the girl, still passed out against the toilet. He gave her a look of contempt before turning away and stalking out of the bathroom. He eyed the mess that they had left in their wake, careful not to step in it and have to wash his feet all over again as he made his way to the front door.

He pulled on his boots before marching right back into the apartment, mumbling under his breath as he went in search of her room. He figured it was the perfect chance to raid through her things, but the accident still put him in a bad mood. He pushed it out of his mind when he found Keiko's room, spying her things as well as his trench coat. His spirits brightened at the sight of it as he knelt down to pick it up. He deftly pulled it on, playing with the collar for longer than necessary as he took a deep breath and sighed, feeling better now that he was _fully_ dressed.

The first thing Jack did was dump out the contents of her bag, but he found nothing of interest. He then tried the dresser that stood near the doorway, opening each drawer roughly as he began pulling things out at random in search of anything that could give him something on Kimiko. He was surprised that there was very little in the dresser, save for clothes (underwear in particular which caused Jack to go scarlet as he quickly shut those drawers). There had been very few pieces of jewelry and hair accessories as well as some make up, which came as a shock seeing how Kimiko took pride in showing off the latest fashions. He had expected her friends to be just the same.

He shut the dresser back closed in disappointment. He stood up and stopped at the door way, taking in every detail of the room. To him, all he could see was a small room with two blankets lying on the ground a few feet away from each other on opposite sides of the room with a pillow near the head of each blanket. One lay right up against the wall while the other lay near what he guessed was a sliding door to the closet. Aside from that there was the dresser that he had already searched through and a small book shelf sitting right between the two blankets, up against the wall, parallel to the doorway.

He went over to the book case, pulling out everything from the two shelves and tossing it behind him carelessly. Half were in Japanese while the other half were in English. He skimmed through notebooks only to find equations and numbers that looked vaguely familiar. He tried a few more, but considering the highlighted marks, post its (some in English) announcing tests and important notes to memorize, he decided to toss them aside. Jack was becoming impatient when he had cleared the entire shelf and had even gone as far as checking the small lamps and pillows on the blankets on the floor, but to no avail.

"Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bupkis!" Jack shot out each word as he sat down near the closet in disappointment. He half-heartedly pushed open the closet door, sticking his head over the shelf that was wedged up against the wall about two feet from the floor. He could only see shoes and extra blankets folded beneath the shelf. Looking above it he spotted an assortment of clothing hanging on the bar a foot away from the ceiling. He searched through the rack with one shove, crushing all the hangers to one side of the closet, taking a good look at the space he had just created before shoving it back in place. He grumbled under his breath at being unable to find anything, clenching his right hand into a fist.

Jack hit the side of his fist against the back wall of the closet, not enough to cause pain, but enough to vent out his frustrations. He expected to meet nothing but cement, but he felt something give. He blinked and turned to stare into the closet, slowly reaching in to knock against the wall. On the third knock he located the same area he had hit earlier.

It was a hollow area in the wall.

He quickly pushed the clothes hanging over the area aside, squinting at the space in the darkness. He experimentally pressed against the spot, feeling it give beneath his fingers.

"Secret compartment. Now that's what I'm talking about!" Jack crowed in delight as he pushed against the door harder, but he was unable to open, no matter how much he pushed it. He stopped, realizing it probably swung outward and felt around the hollow area to find the crease or some sort of knob. He could feel where the door separated from the wall, but the separation was so thin he was unable to find a grip.

Not known for his patience, Jack soon gave in to his frustrations and raised his fist to slam it against the door. He was clutching his hand in pain a moment later, yowling and whimpering as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. Despite the amount of pain he brought onto himself, he succeeded in opening the compartment. Once the pain had lessened into a dull throb, he could see the small opening and grinned weakly at his success. With his uninjured hand he reached over to the opening and felt around in the small compartment. It wasn't long before he pulled out two small, thin books.

He opened the small black one, his expression falling when he saw it was written in Japanese. He continued to flip through it to see if anything was written in English, but he found nothing. He tossed the book aside and tried the other one. He opened it and immediately regretted it. The second one was also incomprehensible to him, but the writing was scribbled so thickly and messily on the paper that it seemed that the writer never lifted their pen off the paper. It was just a bunch of scribbles to him.

Snorting in disgust he threw that over his shoulder as well, shaking his head in disbelief. He should have realized that she would have kept any records in her _native_ language. He had forgotten that English wasn't her first language. The only way for him to find out anything useful about Kimiko or the other Xiaolin Warriors would be by asking her friend directly. The one problem was finding a way to persuade her into divulging such information.

_Or better yet, just torture her until she does_, Jack thought to himself with a shrug.

Considering, Jack believed being tickled was an effective torturing technique, Keiko didn't have much to worry about.

Jack shook his still throbbing hand lightly as he stood up and made his way back to the bathroom. He stood in the doorway, smiling despite the fact that he found no real humor in the situation.

"Just where I left you." Jack said as he stepped over to Keiko's unconscious form, still propped up against the toilet. "Time to wake up."

Jack then proceeded to slap her on the cheeks lightly.

Keiko didn't even stir.

Unperturbed, Jack pinched her cheeks hard, pulling them until they were red, but Keiko still made no response.

"Hey, hey. We don't really have time for this so you might as well **get up**!" Jack shouted into her ear, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

Keiko remained motionless.

"All right. You give me no choice. Don't say I didn't warn you." Jack said sternly as he stood up and turned on one of the knobs to the shower. He waited until the water was ice cold before closing the drain to let the tub fill. He gave a comical wink to Keiko before leaving the bathroom.

For a few minutes there was nothing but the sound of the water pounding out of the faucet, but soon Jack had returned with a large fruit bowl filled to the brim with ice. He dumped all of it into the tub. He scurried out of the bathroom again, returning quickly with handfuls of fruit flavored popsicles, tossing them into the tub as well, all still in the packages.

"That should be cold enough." Jack nodded as he spoke before turning to Keiko's form. He gave her a derisive grin as he leaned down to scoop her body and hold her bridal style.

Jack walked over to the tub, now three fourths filled as he adjusted his hold on Keiko, holding her at arms length and high above the water. He was surprised to see his arms starting to tremble from the effort, wondering just how much the small girl could have weighed, but soon pushed the thought from his mind.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!" Jack said loudly, starting to lowering her a safer distance above the tub, until he caught sight of her face. Jack let out a shout of surprise and dropped Keiko as if she were a hot iron, hitting the wall behind him hard. His moans of pain were drowned out by the sound of Keiko hitting the surface, sending a wave of ice cold water splashing over him, as well as a popsicle flying into his eye. There were also two audible 'thump's that echoed in the bathroom loudly.

By the time Jack was able to open his eyes, he saw Keiko clutching her head and right arm, twisting and jerking in pain as her mouth was opened in a silent scream, doubled over in the tub of water. The faucet was still on, pounding against her back as Jack sat in a puddle of floating ice cubes and popsicles. Seeing her obvious pain, giving him a brief stab of guilt, Jack quickly launched himself over to the bathtub, shutting off the faucet.

He managed to get a glimpse at her face, completely soaked in water and possibly tears.

"It's kind of hard to tell seeing as you're soaking wet, but are you crying?" Jack asked once Keiko had stopped her spasms. Slowly, she lifted her head to stare at him in stunned amazement. He laughed nervously, looking down at his feet to see a popsicle and quickly picked it up, offering it to her. "Popsicle?"

Keiko stared at him, still in shock by the rude awakening. If it wasn't enough to stun her by the ice-cold drop into the bath tub, the impact of her elbow and head slamming against the sides of the tub were enough to send her into spasms of pain. If anything, the pain in her arm and head helped to divert her attention from the newly forming bruise on her rear end. She was in such a state of shock that she couldn't even utter a single syllable as tears streamed down her face.

"**_I'm going to kill you_**!"

Jack let out a scream when Keiko lunged at him. He had sprinted out of the room, missing the sight of Keiko losing her balance and tumbling over the edge of the tub and landing on to the tiled floor of the bathroom, face first into the shallow pool of water. Blinding pain shot through her sinuses, up to her eyes and upper lip before she could roll over and let out a pitiful moan. She was too weak to pull herself up using the edge of the tub, instead she let the rest of her body follow and she collapsed onto the floor, acting as a giant sponge for the small flood that had been created.

She had turned onto her back, throwing an arm over her eyes that not only blocked out the light stinging her eyes, but acted as a cold compress as her sleeve was still retaining a lot of water. She could smell the blood running onto her lips and down the sides of her face. When she finally dared to remove her arm and begin the process of trying to get up, she saw a black blob with a splotch of red and green(_green?_) hovering above her.

The next moment Keiko was pulled up by her arms onto her feet and stumbled right passed him into the wall. Unable to hold her own, Keiko was slipping down, back onto the floor. Jack caught her arms, hauling her up again as he mumbled around the popsicle, holding the stick between his teeth.

"Err haehic (You're Pathetic)!" Jack dragged her over to the carpet in the hallway, letting go. He watched as she slumped down, her legs bent at her sides as she swayed in her spot. He took out the popsicle stick and bent it half. "You should probably dry off, you look like a drowned rat."

Keiko whirled on him, her eyes narrowed. She found it hard to focus on him, her vision bleary and her head still spinning.

"Why... I... You... It..." Keiko was unable to collect her thoughts to counter his insults, so she gave up and slowly made her way up to her feet, using the wall for support. Jack made a face when she got to his eye level. He disappeared into the bathroom momentarily.

"Here!" He shoved a dry, white towel into her face, effectively staining it with her blood. Keiko stared at it in horror. "No need to thank me."

The cocky comment was all that she needed to form at least one thought into words.

"**_You idiot_**!"

* * *

Had Keiko any strength left in her limbs, she would have given Jack his own bloody nose to clean up, but the cold combined with her recent over dosing that had yet to be cleaned out of her system had left her weak and trembling. Jack jokingly offered to help her get dressed. The door slamming in his face was his response. 

Jack lasted ten minutes before he came to Keiko's room. He opened it as quietly as he could, starting with just a crack. He pushed in open when he saw Keiko zipping up her jacket.

"About time!" He snapped.

Keiko gave him a cold look as she picked up her wet clothes and headed towards the bathroom. Jack made a face at her back,then looked into the room. He felt his heart rate pick up when he saw the room still in disarray and looked out into the hall, wondering how Keiko could not have been upset at him for invading her room.

Keiko was stumbling down the hall, hitting the walls every other second. She finally grew frustrated as she held the articles of clothing in one hand while feeling the wall with the other.

Jack blinked, getting an idea of why Keiko had yet to notice the disaster he had left behind. He shook his head and quickly bounded to her bag, grabbing everything he had dumped onto her blanket and shoving it into the bag. He grabbed books at random and threw them back on the shelf, even slipping a few into her bag in his haste to make things presentable before the Japanese girl might take notice. Just as Jack had remembered the closet and closed the small door in the wall, Keiko appeared in the doorway. Jack quickly intercepted her, shoving the bag into her arms.

"Done? Okay, let's go!" Jack said hurriedly as he turned her around and started pushing her out of the room.

"Go where?" Keiko asked in a strained voice.

"You're a wanted criminal. We can't stay here, can we?" He told her bluntly. "So we're leaving the country. Well, you're leaving the country, but technically I'm going home."

"How long?" Keiko asked, too tired to argue or even begin trying to understand what Jack was implying.

"How long?" Jack repeated. He paused, giving Keiko a chance to gain her bearings. "That is a good question...Oof!"

Keiko had elbowed him in the stomach.

The impact had caught Jack off guard, but it wasn't painful enough to stop him. He continued to push Keiko down the hall, heading for the entrance. He let her go for a moment to yank open the door.

"Got everything? Forgetting anything? No? Good." Jack said hurriedly as he glanced up and down the hallway, reaching behind to grab Keiko without looking back, but only met air. Irritated, he looked over his shoulder, releasing his hold on the door. Unable to locate her, Jack made to move back into the hall, but something stuck out into his path.

"Hey!"

Jack was sent careening over as he was thrown off balance by Keiko's arm and into the single step that stood right before the hallway. Jack landed on his right arm, letting out a moan as his ulnar nerve, or more commonly known as the 'funny-bone', was hit and sent pain shooting up his forearm. Keiko didn't show much concern as she was still point at his boots, sitting on the step next to his legs.

Keiko had sat down once Jack let her go, not only because she still felt weak but also due to the fact that she needed to put on her shoes. She had forgotten to put on socks, but she felt it mattered little at that point as she had slipped on her shoes and was in the process of adjusting them near the heel when she saw Jacks feet. She realized Jack hadn't taken time to put on his shoes, meaning he had been wearing them the entire time he had been in the apartment.

"You were wearing those the whole time?" Keiko gasped in outrage as she watched Jack push himself back onto his feet, favoring his right arm.

He glared at her, his teeth grinding together.

"You really want to get into this when _you're_ the one who left a mess on your carpet _and_ bathroom?"

Keiko stared at him for a moment.

"No!" Keiko stood up, looking at the living room in horror. "I have to clean it up!"

"I already did!" Jack said angrily. "After I cleaned you and me. Why do you think I used water to wake you up?"

"You did?" Keiko stared at him in surprise, but then her eyes narrowed at the mention of his method of waking her. "Couldn't you have been a little more gentle?"

"Hey, I'm an _evil_ genius." Jack stressed out, the pain in his arm dulling. He opened the door and grabbed on to her arm. "Guys like me don't usually care to be 'gentle.'"

"Guys like you?" Keiko repeated incredulously. "You mean crazy, teenage boys who mangle the innocent?"

"I guess." Jack replied, un-phased by her accusation. "Only not as specific and we do way more than that."

Keiko simmered at his response, amazed either by his ability to brush off verbal attacks or his stupidity and arrogance. It was most likely the latter as she stumbled after him, his grip on the jacket of her sleeve guiding her along after him. She watched in a daze as her, now broken, door to her apartment slowly shut behind them. She still couldn't grasp the concept of leaving Tokyo, her home and her life, so suddenly. It couldn't be true that Japan thought her to be a criminal, a thief victimizing her best friend's father no less.

Keiko followed after Jack with a heavy heart, feeling as if her shoes were filled with lead. It was surprising that she could move at all.

"What are you doing?" Jacks voice suddenly broke into her mind, echoing throughout the stairwell as he clutched the railing, looking as if he just saved himself from a face plant onto the steps.

_I guess I really wasn't moving anymore, _Keiko thought distantly when she realized that she must had stopped. She blinked at him, feeling second thoughts start to creep up on her.

She was a wanted criminal, but that wasn't her fault. However, if she were to be found with him, she may as well be branded as one. If she left with this thief, out of the country, wouldn't that make her even more suspicious? If she just stayed here and turned herself in, then maybe--

_**They'll lock you up and throw away the key? ** _A voice finished for her.

Keiko winced.

**_You've already shown how much a flight risk you are with the hospital stunt and, what do you know? The same person who put you in this mess is the one helping you make things worse._**

_They would have arrested me anyway_, Keiko thought bitterly.

_**But maybe, this is better, **_the voice reconsidered. **_Doesn't he have what was stolen? All you have to do is retrieve what he took and get him to confess. Didn't he offer to clear your name?_**

_Sure. A lunatic like him would definitely honor his word _Keiko thought sarcastically. She was suddenly jerked out of her thoughts as Jack grew impatient and pulled her up the steps, nearly wrenching out her arm from its socket. Keiko felt the bottom of her stomach drop out from her, shaking her head slightly. _ What am I doing, following a nut case like this!_

... _And I think it's rubbing off on me. I'm arguing with myself!_

Keiko's hand clenched into a fist as she prepared to yank her arm away, but something stopped her.

**_He may or may not keep his word, but in either case you need him if you're going to clear your name.He's ruined your life, hasn't he? You want revenge, don't you? _**

_I don't want to think about this anymore. _Keiko thought, shaking her head as her hand relaxed.

Whatever else that may have entered Keiko's mind was dispelled once Jack had opened the door to the roof. A blast of wind chilled them to the bone as Jack tugged her towards the jet, releasing her as he climbed into the cockpit. Keiko watched him from where he left her, a hand reaching up to brush the uneven and slightly damp locks brushing against the back of her neck. One thought still echoed in her mind.

**_He's ruined your life, hasn't he?_**

**_

* * *

_**

"Okay, where to?" Raimundo asked as he shifted Kimiko's weight against his back.

"School!" Kimiko pointed towards a direction. Just as they started moving, Kimiko suddenly spoke up.

"No, back home! Maybe she's trying to find me?" Kimiko reasoned. They started to change directions, but Kimiko spoke up again.

"Wait! I don't think she knows I'm back, unless she's going to see my father? Then she'd know he's working or at least after last night she would think he'd be there--or maybe at the police?"

"You're not getting any lighter, girl." Raimundo broke through her thoughts. He was only kidding. The small girl was almost nothing compared to the training they were put through, but he felt Kimiko was about to run herself into a panic attack. She stopped abruptly, smacking him across the head as her eyes narrowed. "Hey, watch it!"

"Did I ask for a ride?" Kimiko shot back.

"I could drop you, right now." Raimundo threatened, but before the two could get into anything serious, Clay interrupted.

"Calm down, you two. This ain't no time to be going at it like cats and dogs." He looked at Kimiko. "You're the only one who can find your friend, so try your best and put yourself in her shoes."

"And while you're at it, tell us the whole story!" Raimundo demanded. "We still don't know what's going on."

"Okay." Kimiko agreed reluctantly, but she knew Raimundo was right. She had yet to explain why she was so desperate to find her friend, it was only fair that she told them why they were being rushed. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and slowly recounted the information to the others. "Papa's company was robbed last night, probably the same time we got here. They think that--"

"Was it Pandabubba?" Omi asked, eyes widening before they narrowed. "Has he come for revenge against your father?"

"No, no. It wasn't him, but--" Kimiko started, but again was interrupted.

"Was there a Shen Gong Wu involved?" Omi asked, then added on excitedly, "Perhaps the Shen Gong Wu we are looking for was--"

"Omi!" Raimundo and Clay cried out to stop the young monk as Kimiko could only stare at him in dismay.

"Oh, my sincerest apologies." Omi said in embarrassment, bowing to Kimiko. "Please continue."

"I don't know the details," Kimiko said hesitantly. "But somehow Keiko has been made the prime suspect. Even with evidence pointing to her, there are still parts of it that don't make sense, like why she would do it? Ii couldn't have been her, but they found her unconscious and injured. She was sent to the hospital and now she's out in the city, drugged and ..."

"Your friend is a thief?" Omi asked in confusion as Kimiko trailed off. She looked at him sharply, her blue eyes blazing.

"_No_!" Kimiko hit Raimundo on the shoulder, causing him to wince.

"Why did you hit me?" Raimundo snapped in indignation.

"Look," Kimiko ignored Raimundo as she took a deep breath. She continued, her voice shaking as she fought to control her anger. "We just need to find her and hear her side of the story. She was there, but she couldn't have been the only one."

"So where would a drugged Japanese girl in a hospital gown go?" Raimundo asked, causing Kimiko and Clay to glare at him. "What?"

"Then your friend is not of sight mind?" Omi questioned, earning confused looks from his comrades. "If she is drugged, then her skills would be cut in half, would it not?"

"_Sound _mind." Raimundo corrected once he realized what the younger boy was trying to say. "Yeah, that's what I meant to say. Someone must have found her by now, how far could she have gone?"

"But what if the wrong people find her? Not everyone is a good samaritan." Kimiko said with concern. "And the police isn't exactly on her side. That's why I want to find her. I can't just leave it and hope that someone stumbles on her like she's a stray cat!"

"Okay. Where does she live?" Raimundo asked, adjusting his hold on Kimiko. "That's where you think she's heading, right?"

"That would be the safest bet." Kimiko confirmed, her expression grim. "But I'm sure the police know that too."

* * *

Kimiko and the others had hurried, following her directions to Keiko's building. She had even utilized the use of the Falcon's Eye to find any shortcuts or to see if any police officers were heading in the same direction, but so far it had been clear. Kimiko could only hope that Keiko had made it home and was safe in her own building until she could arrive. 

"It's that building!" Kimiko said breathlessly, despite the fact that she hadn't even set foot on the ground. The others slowed to a stop in front of the gray building, spying the double glass doors for an entrance. Clay stepped up towards it first, pulling at the door, but to no avail.

"Looks like it's locked." Clay said as he pushed back the rim of his hat.

"Are you sure this is her building?" Raimundo asked with uncertainty.

"Yes." Kimiko said, looking distressed. "I forgot, you need a key to get inside."

"Then we will have to enter by other means." Omi said as he exhaled, taking a fighting stance. Kimiko's eyes widened fearfully.

"No, Omi! We don't want to draw attention to ourselves!"

"'Sides, I've got an easier way to get in." Clay told them as he pulled out the Serpent's Tail. "Causes a lot less damage."

"Of course, that was going to be my next suggestion." Omi covered quickly, turning away to conceal his blush. "I, of course, did not forget that you possessed the Serpent's Tail that would enable us to enter the building without having to be concerned with locked--"

"Bye, dude!" Raimundo said from behind the glass doors, causing Omi to whirl around in surprise. Raimundo was snickering as he carried Kimiko towards the stairs, listening to Omi bang against the glass and calling after him as he heading up to the second floor and disappeared out of sight.

"Hey!" Omi cried as he pounded his fists against the glass doors.

"Partner?" Clay had stepped back outside, pushing Omi away from the door by his forehead, his arms still swinging in the air. "You coming?"

"Oh, yes. Thank You." Omi said as he allowed Clay to phase them through the door. The moment they were on the other side, he broke into a run, zipping up the steps. Clay sighed as he trailed after him..

"This floor!" Kimiko said suddenly. Raimundo skidded to a halt, hopping back on one foot as he retraced his steps back to the hallway he had just passed, but Omi collided with him and sent both of them hurtling to the ground. Kimiko sat a top Raimundo, receiving little damage as she pushed herself to her feet and headed down the hall.

"Yeah, we're okay. You go on ahead." Raimundo mumbled as he pushed himself onto his feet, giving Omi a short glare. The young boy was clutching his head, looking at Raimundo with a glare of his own.

"Why are you standing in the middle of the path?" Omi asked angrily.

"Why are you running up the steps?" Raimundo shot back.

"You were running too!"

"Come on, fellas." Clay said tiredly as he climbed up the steps. "Can't we save the bickerin' for after we find Kimiko's friend?"

" All right." The two said reluctantly as they headed after Kimiko.

It wasn't hard to figure out which apartment she had disappeared into as one of the doors were wide open and even before they had entered the apartment, they could sense something was wrong. They heard Kimiko's voice drifting from the depths of the apartment, her tone anything but comforting as they started to inspect the area on their own.

It only took a few minutes to confirm what they had already suspected.

"She's not here." Kimiko said quietly, her eyes watering in frustration. "But she _was _here."

"Yeah, and there's water everywhere." Raimundo walked over to the bathroom, making a face as he stepped on the carpet as it made squishing noises. "What a way to take a bath--are those popsicles?"

"It may just be me, but I reckon someone besides your friend was here." Clay said quietly, watching Kimiko's expression as he carefully chose his next words. "The lock's busted, the place is a mess, but I don't think anything too bad happened."

"It makes sense though, doesn't it?" Raimundo said around a popsicle. The others gave him a look of disgust. "What?"

"What are you doing?" Omi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Eating a popsicle and trying to explain something." Raimundo said irritably, tossing an unopened and melting popsicle at Omi to quell his curiosity. "Anyway, back to what I was trying to say, I don't think your friend would have thought ahead enough to think about getting her keys. She had to have picked the lock to get in."

"But there's more damage than that on the door." Kimiko argued. "The lock's _broken_, Rai. How do you explain that?"

"What?" Raimundo blinked. "I don't have all the answers."

"There's definitely more going on here than a simple mistake in identity." Kimiko said grimly, ignoring Omi as he marveled at the wonders of a fruit flavored popsicle. "Someone else knows Keiko and they're looking for her. It must be because she knows who the real thief is!"

"Or because they're helping her." Raimundo said casually.

"What?" Kimiko snapped, glaring at Raimundo. "Keiko's no criminal!"

"I hear you." Raimundo said hurriedly. "But even innocent people can get caught up on the wrong side."

Kimiko blinked at Raimundo. She opened her mouth to say something, but Clay's hat suddenly slid to the floor, Dojo laying in the dip with a strange look on his face.

"Can we get out of here?" Dojo said with a slight moan. "I don't feel so good. Might be a case of upset stomach, or... you don't want to know."

Clay made a face as he grabbed his hat, eyeing Dojo with a grim look. "Just do me a favor and leave my hat out of it."

"I can't make any promises." Dojo slumped deeper into the hat, clutching a claw over his mouth, causing the others to glance at one another worriedly.

"We should go anyway." Kimiko said as they followed Clay out of the apartment. "The police will probably be here soon."

Clay headed back towards the stairs, Omi and Raimundo trailing behind him. Kimiko watched them go, looking back into the apartment, hesitant to leave.

"Kimiko?"

"I'm coming." Kimiko turned away from the apartment and jogged after them to catch up.

* * *

Hannibal had contented himself with the Shen Gong Wu Katnappé had given him. He watched her wander the streets before growing tired and disappearing into the crowd to find her own way back home. He held little concern over her, she knew close to nothing about his true objective and was merely a pawn that was easily expendable. It was Wuya and Chase that could cause problems, but both would prove to be crucial pieces in the puzzle if all was to go according to his plans. 

He had planned to head back to see if he could gain any information from either the Heylin witch or warrior, but as the Ying-Ying bird soared through the sky, he caught sight of a sleek, black jet sitting on a building nearby. With no doubt of who it was, Hannibal urged the bird towards the rooftop, landing on the tail end of the jet. The bird fluttered it's feathers in an agitated manner when the door to the roof shot open with a bang.

Jack was pulling along a young boy by the arm.

The boy was dressed all in blue of different shades, from his coat to his very socks and gloves. Jack released his grip on the young boy in favor of opening his jet and climbing inside. The young boy merely stood there, watching Jack with a closed expression, his hand rising up to brush against his hair at the back of his neck, his expression flickering with a mixture of emotions, but they passed once Jack had settled in and demanded that he get in.

When the boy opened his mouth to respond, Hannibal was surprised at the soft feminine tone that escaped him.

"You'll clear my name if I give you the information you want?"

Jack paused, glancing over at the boy in irritation.

"What?"

"That was your deal. You said I need to give you information and in return you would clear my name." The boy insisted.

"Sounds about right." Jack agreed, fiddling around in the jet with something that couldn't be seen.

"How can I trust you?" The boy ask quietly, a frowning marring his face.

"Well, you don't really have a lot of options, do you? What have you got to lose?" Jack scoffed. "You're damned if you do and damned if you don't, am I right?"

The boy opened his mouth to respond, but Jack answered for him, never looking up from the control panel.

"Of course I'm right. You know it, I know it... My brilliance even scares me, sometimes."

The young boy seemed irritated by Jack's arrogance, but he made no further argument. He stood in place, staring at the side of the jet as his mouth pressed into a thin line, a melancholy aura surrounding him. He glanced over his shoulder at the door leading down the steps, back into the apartment, then quickly shook his head as he slapped his hands against his cheeks.

"Okay." He said firmly.

To Hannibal's amazement, Jack responded by hopping back out of the jet, grabbing the young boy by his waist to help him onto the wing and into the cockpit. Then, upon closer inspection, Hannibal realized that there was something very odd about the boy.

Like the fact that the young boy was actually a young _girl_.

His eyebrows rose as Jack followed after her, going through the process to ready the jet for the long flight back home. The Ying-Ying bird glided off the jet to land on the ledge of the roof nearby, watching as it took off into the sky, creating a gentle rumble and a minimal amount of noise.

Hannibal was surprised by the encounter. When Katnappé informed him of a girl hanging around with Jack, he had expected to find an actual little girl, not a young teenager. It mattered little of her age, but it did make things a bit more interesting.

Hannibal's eyes narrowed as he watched the jet fade into the distance.

He was debated on how this new piece of information could aid his plan, but his thoughts were broken when he caught sight of movement on the ground below. He saw the Xiaolin warriors, his brows rising in surprise. He was unable to discern what they were saying, but he watched as they made use of the Serpent's Tail and phased through the doorway. He decided to wait to see how things would unfold and sure enough, they were back outside again,

He recalled his earlier talk with Katnappé and connected the girl with Jack to be the very one who Kimiko and the other warriors were looking for. He watched in amusement as they conversed for a minute in front of the building before breaking away to a more secluded area, out of his sight. A few moments later Dojo had risen into the air, weaving drunkenly out of the cluster of trees they had taken refuge under, the warriors clinging to his back in fear of being accidentally thrown off. They were soon moving out in the opposite direction of Jack's jet, causing Hannibal to grin.

"This will prove interesting, won't it, Ying-Ying?" Hannibal said to the bird. It made a noise that could have been taken as agreement before it pushed off of its perch and headed back up into the sky.

* * *

"Are you feeling any better, Dojo?" Kimiko asked as she smoothed a hand down his scaly back in a soothing rub. 

"Yeah, I think so." Dojo answered with a sigh of relief. "Don't know what it was, but it was like a big weight was crushing the air out of my lungs, but almost as if I imagined the whole thing. See!" He took a deep breath, then exhaled a cloud of soot, flying right into it and causing the others to cough in discomfort.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly as the others came out, colored with ash. They quickly patted themselves off.

"You had us worried there for a second when you started side-winding on your take off." Clay told him, brushing his hat clean.

"Yeah, I think I was ready to lose my lunch." Raimundo mumbled, rubbing his stomach at the memory.

"Try not to go too fast, Dojo." Kimiko said as she pulled out something from her pocket. "I'm going to use the Falcon's Eye to help me locate Keiko. Hopefully, she's still close by--"

Dojo suddenly jerked, sending the others into the air a few feet off his back before hitting his scales hard. Their hearts racing, they clutched the dragon in fear when another spasm hit.

"Sorry!" Dojo managed to stutter as he tried to relax his muscles. "But it looks like a Shen Gong Wu's revealed itself."

"Now?" Kimiko cried out in dismay. Dojo looked over his shoulder at her, a sympathetic look on his face as he nodded. "All right. Just let me off and I'll--"

"What?" Dojo asked incredulously. "We're not going to just leave you--"

"Please, Dojo." Kimiko pleaded. "I can't just leave like this. Even if I did come, I wouldn't be much help. How can I focus?"

"That is why we are training!" Omi exclaimed. "Situations like these should be handled in a professional manner. Kimiko, it is the same as if you were battling while knowing one of us were in danger of being injured or already mortally wounded. Have you forgotten your mission as a Xiaolin warrior?"

"Omi..." Kimiko said in alarm. She knew in her heart that he was right, but even so his words stung. "But..."

"Here." Raimundo shoved something into her hands.

Kimiko blinked at him, then looked down at the object in her hands blankly.

"Rai, I don't think now's a good time to be making phone calls..." Clay frowned as he saw the item in Kimiko's hands.

"Sure it is." Raimundo argued. "Come on, Kimiko. You and her have other friends, right?"

"Yes." Kimiko said hesitantly, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"And her family's probably looking for her too, right?"

"I suppose." Kimiko agreed hesitantly.

"Then just call your friends and get them to search in your place. Tell your dad, I'm sure he'll be able to help."

Kimiko's face took on a pained expression at the mention of her father, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come, nodding her head slowly as she started to dial.

"As soon as we get that Shen Gong Wu, we can look for your friend if she's still missing, but in the mean time you can assemble your own little search party to do the work for you while we're out saving the world." Raimundo concluded. Kimiko smiled at his words, nodding in agreement even when her heart still filled with doubt.

"Sounds like a plan." She agreed.

Raimundo grinned, turning to the others to give a thumbs up. Kimiko looked down, worry still weighing heavily on her shoulders.

She blinked in surprise when she felt a hand on her arm, glancing to see Omi looking at her with a sincere expression.

"Do not worry , Kimiko. Your friend will be found and she will be safe. Nothing bad will happen to her."

"Thanks Omi." She told him with a smile as she rubbed the top of his head affectionately. He beamed at her, feeling as if he succeeded and turned away, allowing Kimiko to let her smile fall.

_Is that a promise?_

_

* * *

_

"Let's start off simple." Jack said as he set the jet on auto pilot, pulling out his laptop and giving Keiko his full attention. "Could you state your name for the record?"

"For the record?" Keiko repeated. "Or because you really don't know?"

"Hey! I'm the one asking the questions around here!" Jack snapped in irritation.

"Nagatsuka Keiko." She sighed, then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, Keiko Nagatsuka."

Jack typed at his laptop, sticking on his tongue between his teeth as he focused on the simple task of spelling her name. She would have laughed if she had any energy, or any sense of humor that may have still been left in her body. She managed to get a glimpse at the screen, then diverted her gaze back to the control panel, sighing in dismay. It would be typical for him to misspell her name. He was out to ruin her life, after all, wasn't he?

"And you're Kimiko's friend?"

"Yes." Keiko felt her irritation rise, but tampered it down.

"And how long have you two been 'friends'?" Jack asked, emphasizing the word by forming quotation marks in the air with his fingers. Keiko raised an eyebrow.

"Why does that matt--"

"Ah-ah! Who's asking the questions here?" Jack shook his index finger at her.

"But--"

"Ah!"

"I--"

"No!"

"Oh forget it." Keiko snapped, turning away in irritation.

"All right, we'll skip that, it's obvious you've been friends with her for a while." Jack said hurriedly. He scanned through his mind for another simple question, but his impatience to find out what he really wanted to know was about to burst out of him and he quickly gave in. "What do you know about Kimiko's skills? Her weaknesses? Weak ankles? I know she has no upper body strength, but I figure there's more to it than that."

Keiko looked at him in utter confusion.

"What?"

"Do you think she's weak against water since her specialty's fire?" Jack questioned thoughtfully, then added quickly. "Because I want to make sure she doesn't get hurt, you know."

There as a long moment of silence.

"_What_?" Keiko was staring at him as if he had grown another head.

"Xiaolin warrior. Dragon of fire, blah, blah, blah. You know the details."

"What are you talking about?" Keiko asked him in amazement, wondering if she had heard him right.

"Oh come on! She's been training for years now, how could you not know?" Jack threw up his hands in exasperation, hitting them onto the arm rests. "And you call yourself her best friend?"

"Training?" Keiko repeated in confusion. She shook her head. "No, she's part of a exchange program in China. She wanted to... broaden her horizons and travel... "

Jack arched an eyebrow as Keiko trailed off, looking uncertain.

"Really, now?" Jack drawled out.

"Yes." Keiko said quietly, looking down at her hands as her fingers flexed in her lap. Now that she really thought about it, she knew little, next to nothing about the specifics of Kimiko's exchange program.

If that was really what it was.

When Keiko had first heard about it, she believed it would only last a few weeks, much as everyone else had. Kimiko had been excited about the program and made plans to celebrate her 'trip' with a girl's day out. Many others were invited and they had a sort of all day party where they went shopping, saw a movie, ate at a restaurant and did karaoke long into the night. The fun sustained them for the rest of the week prior to Kimiko's departure, that no one was sad when she left.

But that was because they didn't know how long she would _really_ be gone.

The days went by and soon they turned into weeks and then the seasons began to change until a full year had gone by. Kimiko had explained that she had signed up to extend the program for the rest of her high school career, but she promised to visit during the breaks, so in the end everyone let it go. Now that Keiko thought about, she had never known such a program to keep a student for such a long time and so far away from their home land unless they had actually _moved_ to that country, but as far as she knew, Kimiko's father had yet to move to China. Many brushed it off as the fact that Kimiko was the daughter of a successful business man and was considered _special_ to gain offers for certain opportunities, but it was a little strange.

On top of that, Keiko couldn't even remember a time that Kimiko had come back for a visit, not since the time that she had first left to Japan to the present time in moment. Perhaps Kimiko had returned to Japan for a short while, but not once had Keiko seen her in person.

_Am I really her best friend?_

Keiko felt her heart clench. She mentally shook her head, turning her thoughts to more important matters at hand. If Kimiko wasn't in an exchange program, then what was she doing in China. If, Keiko paused in thought, she really was in China.

He had said training. Keiko looked at Jack as she tried to recall his words. What training? A warrior? A dragon?

_Dragon of fire?_ Keiko thought, unsure of how to react.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here, but does Shen Gong Wu ring any bells?" Jack ventured as he broke her thoughts, watching her expression carefully.

Keiko blinked in confusion before she shook her head.

"Xiaolin temple?"

"That... I think Kimiko mentioned that." Keiko's brow was furrowed in thought.

"But, not the Shen Gong Wu?" Jack tried again. Keiko shook her head.

"What is a Shen Gong Wu?" Keiko asked, her nerves still frayed. Her world had been turned upside down and she was beginning to feel as if she didn't know her best friend at all, but his insistence on the particular topic was able to breach through her chaotic thoughts.

"It's a lot of 'what's, technically, they're these magical artifacts that can give you certain powers, depending on the--" Jack started, then stopped abruptly at the strange look Keiko was giving him. He scowled, knowing exactly what her thoughts were as he turned away angrily. "Why am I wasting my time explaining anything to you? You're useless!"

"At least I'm not crazy." Keiko shot back, wondering if he was joking. She mumbled under her breath, "It's probably too late to turn back now."

"Got that right!" Jack snapped. "But don't worry, once we're over land, I'm dropping you off at the nearest gas station."

"What?" Keiko looked at him in disbelief. "You said you'd help me--"

"--If you gave me the information I wanted!" Jack finished angrily. "You didn't even know where Kimiko really was! What good are you? You don't know anything, you aren't even up-to-date! Come on, this stuff is pasted on the internet for crying out loud!"

Before Keiko could get a word in edge wise, Jack had shoved his laptop into her face, nearly crushing her already tender nose. She reeled back in surprise, her eyes un-crossing as she focused on the screen. She hesitantly took the computer onto her lap, scanning the screen.

There was only the sounds of the jet humming across the sky as Jack waited for Keiko to return his laptop, but instead, she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What was your name again?"

Jack took a full minute to respond, his words escaping his mouth in a sharp cry.

"**_Jack Spicer_**!_ Evil genius_!" Jack shouted at her, his eyes narrowed into slits, his pitch reaching a few octaves higher as Keiko winced in response. "How can you not know of me? I'm number one, baby, the baddest of the bad! The famous, all time--"

"Okay, okay!" Keiko said quickly, raising her voice over his. "I was just checking--"

"I'm not done!" Jack snapped, rising out of his chair in his anger, only to hit his head against the cold steel plating of the jet, causing him to sit back down with a hiss of pain clutching the top of his head with both hands.

"Okay, Spicer, but anything can be put on the net, real or make-believe." Keiko said as she turned the screen towards him, pointing at the bottom of the page. "And if I'm not mistaken, this page was made by you."

"How do you know?" Jack said through clenched teeth as he glanced over at her, forcing one of his eyes open.

On the screen was a brief and simple list that described Shen Gong Wu. It was pasted over a very bright and extravagant wall paper featuring a picture of the boy sitting in the pilot's seat. Jack Spicer, his name emblazoned across the screen at the top of the page, as well as at the bottom where it clearly stated that the website was designed, created, and maintained by him.

Keiko ran a hand over her face, pausing to rub at her tired eyes before she dropped it back to her side, shrugging.

"I guessed?"

"Lucky guess." Jack sniffed, slowly lowering his hands as he discreetly wiped away the tears of pain that had started at the corners of his eyes.

"You're smart, I admit." Keiko said, but hurried on as Jack's mouth formed a smug smile. "But there is a fine line between genius and insanity."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jack asked her blankly.

"Nothing." Keiko gave up, quickly changing topics. "Do you really know Kimiko?"

"What?" Jack looked at her in irritation, lightly touching the new bump on his head and wincing at the contact. He turned to her to take his laptop back. "Don't you listen when I talk to you? I know Kimiko better than you think. In fact, I know her better than _you_ do."

Jack sneered at her as he turned the laptop to face Keiko once again, showing a picture of Kimiko in mid-punch (towards the camera) with a snarl on her face. Keiko tilted her head at the picture, unsure of what to make of it.

"So you really do know her."

Jack nodded, turning the laptop back towards him.

"...Or you're a stalker."

"What? No!" Jack turned to her sharply, his mouth twisted into a scowl. "Why would I waste my time spying on her when I have a world to dominate?"

"Just the world?" Keiko teased, slumping down in her seat. "You mean you aren't going to start going after planets too? Then start attacking alien races after you've caught big foot and a unicorn?"

Jack opened his mouth to retort, but his face looked thoughtful at the mention of conquering other planets, but soon Keiko's jab sunk in as an insult as his expression darkened.

"I'm not crazy!" He shouted at her, the last word ending in a whine.

"You said it, not me." Keiko defended as she closed her eyes with a sigh. Then, her brows furrowing in annoyance, she added, "And your alarm is going off."

"I'm no--Alarm?" Jack felt his anger fade as confusion took over. "I don't hear any--"

Jack stopped in mid-sentence as he saw a small red light blinking from beneath Keiko's seat. He leaned closer, his ears picking up the soft clicking noise as he reached down and searched the floor. He grasped the small object and held up to the light, his eyes widening as he realized it was the portable Shen Gong Wu detector he had made. He had forgotten he had it with him. It must had fallen out of his pack at some point before he had come to Tokyo.

Keiko watched him out of the corner of her eyes, trying to show little interest, but a strange smile made it's way onto his face, causing her to feel uneasy. Jack then tossed the item onto the control panel, connecting a wire to the small device from his laptop and then connected it to the control panel of the jet. Wondering what he was doing, Keiko shifted in her seat, straightening up to get a closer look at the object. She couldn't tell what made it so special, it reminded her of a blinker for a car as there were four arrows on a square shape no longer than an inch or two. The one pointing to the right was blinking red.

"You think I'm crazy?" Jack startled Keiko as she pulled back, looking to find him tapping away at his keyboard. Abruptly, he stopped typing and snapped the laptop shut, turning to Keiko with a grin. "I'll show you proof."

_That you're crazy? I think you've given more than enough to prove that. _Keiko thought to herself, but dared not say it aloud to push him over the edge. His smile was making her feel uneasy, so Keiko responded by nodding slowly and eased back in her chair as Jack radiated excitement. Not wanting to set him off any further, Keiko decided to remain quiet for the remainder of the ride, with only her prayers for comfort as she hoped that things wouldn't get any worse than they already were.

Of course, this would only be the beginning.

* * *

Feeling better, Dojo was able to fly them over to the location of the recently activated Shen Gong Wu, but the trip still took a few hours and the others were still exhausted from all the earlier excitement, especially Kimiko. She had the least amount of rest and was still fighting to keep her eyes open even as her mind wandered to her missing friend who she still believe to be in the city of Tokyo. Even the others were aware of her distraction, but they dared not confront her about it. All they could do was hope that the job would be easy and all they had to do was find the Shen Gong Wu and head back to the temple to get a sufficient amount of rest and then return back to Tokyo to tie their loose ends. 

However, life is never easy when one wants it to be.

Dojo landed in the heart of a large bamboo forest. In every direction there were green stalks that stretched across the land and seemed to go on for miles above their heads as sunlight flickered through the gaps in the foliage. They managed to contain their moans of disappointment as Dojo returned to his smaller size, wincing as the stalks fell and cracked over the area his large form had just occupied. They side stepped the broken stalks as they fell to the earth, breaking the peace of the bamboo thicket.

"What are we lookin' for?" Clay asked once they had gotten over their initial shock.

"The Gaia Bou." Dojo answered as he scratched at his scales vigorously, jerking from time to time. "I think it had something to do with dirt or the ground, but don't quote me on it."

"Sounds like my kind of Wu." Clay commented with a grin.

"So where is it?" Raimundo asked with a yawn, stretching his arms over his head before letting them fall limply at his sides. He straightened up and glanced in one direction, shading his eyes with his hand as he squinted in the distance. "Don't tell me it's one of these bamboo sticks!"

"No, but it might be in one of them..." Dojo trailed off, heading to the closest bamboo stalk to rub his long body up and down the length of the stalk. "Oh yeah, that's the spot!"

The others looked at each other in dismay, their shoulders slumping at the thought of another long search that was ahead of them.

"What does it do?" Omi asked Kimiko as he and the others began to spread out, reaching out to grasp a bamboo stalk with each hand.

Kimiko blinked at Omi, remembering her pack as she moved her hands to her straps, dropping her shoulder to remove one side to swing the backpack around to her front. She opened the flap and began to dig through her bag, but she stopped momentarily as a strong gust of wind blew past, the area starting to grow darker and more ominous.

A voice broke out of the thicket somewhere in the distance, catching the Xiaolin warriors off guard.

"Shall I give you a little demonstration?"

* * *

**AN**: All I can say is, finally! I didn't think it'd take that long to get out of Tokyo. I didn't edit this very well, so excuse the mistakes. Anyway, I can't think of anything more to say... I'm too tired to. :x So just a couple questions. 

Will Kimiko and Keiko finally meet? Who else is in the bamboo thicket with the Xiaolin monks?


	10. The Truth Hurts

**AN**: Still stressed out, but maybe only twenty five percent less than before. Seventy five percent is still a lot though :x

**Author Rant**: Is it the new thing to have song titles that are almost annoyingly long and have nothing to do with the song? (cough--Panic!AtTheDisco and FallOutBoy--cough) Anyway,** I Write **Stories**, Not Tragedies**--Wait...

Also, if you're not an Inu Yasha fan, you won't understand so excuse me when I say this... Ah! I can't believe Takahashi Rumiko did that! I can't believe she did that! I knew it was a possibility, but I feel so cheated!

Last part of my rant, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest :x Love to Johnny Depp/Captain Jack Sparrow.

**Thanks **to **unknown**, here's where Keiko finds out the truth. Might be a bit more than she can handle :x Thanks to **Rai-kun**, I'm glad you're enjoying the story and that you feel Jack's in character! It's getting a little harder now that things are getting more chaotic (in the story and my real life!). Thanks to **Egglette**, to tell you the truth, I've never heard that song before (I've heard the title a few times before), but I just listened to it now and I don't really care for it :x Maybe I'd like Jewel's version better. Anyway, I'm glad the chapter inspired you to buy the song, haha, I never thought that would happen. As for pairing Keiko with anyone, how do you know I wouldn't pair her up with Clay :3 j/k! But there is going to be romance, but no fluffy, lovey-dovey, etc. At least, not for a while (if at all). Also, thanks to **sianypie**, I know what you mean with having a job :( I'm only working part-time right now, but it sure does take a lot out of you, well, at least mine does. And it's only summer, no school! I'm really tired right now too, xx Anyway, thank you again to everyone who takes the time to review, you guys are so awesome :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown, but I created everything_ for _Keiko, such as her back story, her personality, everything but her first name. I also 'own' the Shen Gong Wu I made up for this story, but not the concept behind general idea of Shen Gong Wu---Do I really have to explain? You know what I mean!

* * *

**The Truth Hurts **

**

* * *

**

"You're not so innocent."

It had been a long time since Jack had given Keiko a glimpse at his crazy streak that resulted in her falling into a pit of denial and uncertainty. She had made a decision to stay quiet while Jack took them to a destination only he knew of, which was unsettling when she remembered the fact (at least, to her) that he was crazy, which was impossible for her to forget. Because of this, Keiko refused to let her body receive the rest it was demanding, only allowing herself to drift into a semi-conscious state, her mind a blank as she wasn't up to trying to comprehend the possibility that Jack could have been telling the truth.

Unless she wanted to end up as crazy as him.

"What?" Keiko jerked out of her daze, realizing Jack was talking to her.

"You've made the headlines overnight, broken out of a hospital that was technically your prison, and you left the country." Jack ticked off the events using his fingers with a thoughtful look on his face. Then he turned to her and gave a mischievous grin. "A goody two shoes wouldn't be able to pull off those kinds of stunts."

"I made the headlines because I was framed by a certain someone who shall remain nameless." Keiko countered, wiping the grin off Jack's face. Without even looking at him, she continued to shoot down his 'evidence.' "I wouldn't have left the hospital if you hadn't shown up and, wow! What do you know? I wouldn't have left the country if it wasn't for _you_ again. Seems like you're the reason behind all three of those events."

"Hey!" Jack protested angrily. "You said the first one was nameless, so that doesn't count!"

Keiko couldn't even dignify that with a response.

"You could have refused." Jack added in his defense.

"Refused to be involved with your heist and fight between the cat thief? You really didn't give me a choice that time--"

"That one doesn't count!" Jack snapped, then continued on with a scowl. "You could have refused to leave with me and for the record, leaving the hospital was _your_ idea in the first place."

"I wouldn't have had to refuse anything if you hadn't shown up into my life." Keiko shot back, straightening up in her chair as she shot him a look. "Did you really expect me to just sit back and let them prosecute me with the crimes you and your girlfriend committed?"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Jack moaned, slapping a hand over his eyes in a grimace.

"What do you mean _why_? Because it's the truth!" Keiko shouted at him.

"It is not!" Jack yelled back, turning in his seat to glare down at the small girl.

"How can you say that?" Keiko said in indignation. "Do you have amnesia along with your lunacy?"

"I'd rather date a fifteen hundred year old hag than that two-faced, Wu stealing, over-sized fur ball!"

"Like anyone would--What?" Keiko's anger gave out to confusion.

"What?" Jack asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?"

"What are _you_ talking about?" Jack shot back at her.

Keiko opened her mouth to respond, but soon closed it as she leaned back in her seat, shaking her head with a sigh.

"Never mind." She told him, then added in a murmur, "In your case, it's a fine line between idiocy and insanity."

Jack let out a growl, catching her words as he slammed a fist against the control panel, causing Keiko to jump in her seat. She chanced a look over her shoulder to find him glaring at her.

"It's a long way down from here." Jack let the threat hang in the air.

"I don't doubt that." Keiko countered, her voice even. Jack was thrown by her calm response, but she gelt anything _but_ calm at that moment..

_Not really helping with your insanity case, _Keiko thought to herself, even though a twinge of fear made it's way into her heart. Rationality told her that this was very possibly a demented individual and he could send her to her death if he chose to, but some part of her didn't really believe he was capable of it.

At least, she hoped he wasn't.

Before anymore could be said the jet jerked, sending both it's occupants out of their seats. They yelped in union as Jack was thrown against the control panel, his forehead slamming into the windshield, but fortunately for Keiko, she had managed to find the seat belt earlier and only felt mild discomfort along her lap.

"Should have put on your seat belt." Keiko scolded Jack as he groaned, pulling away from the panel with his hands clutching his forehead. He looked at her, squinting through tears of pain.

"There are seat belts?"

Before Keiko could respond, the aircraft jerked again, sending Jack crashing into her. The sound of their skulls colliding echoed through the steel plated interior, bringing fresh amounts of tears to their eyes.

"What's going on?" Keiko grit out through clenched teeth as she remained doubled over her seat, clutching her head as the world continued to spin.

"I must have hit something," Jack slurred out, his ears still ringing as he used one hand to grip the seat and the other to hold on to the steering wheel. "The auto pilot's off."

Jack hit a few buttons, his vision still blurry from the earlier impact. He tried to grip the steering wheel, but his injury impaired his ability to judge distances and he hit the control panel again. Seconds later the jet was hurtling toward the earth at a sharp angle.

Keiko felt the pressure trying to force her back into her seat, but she ignored it as she slowly sat back up, feeling sick to her stomach as she removed her hands from her forehead. She grimaced when she saw a coating of blood on her finger tips and turned to glare at Jack. Her anger grew when she found he came away with nothing but a bump and possibly a few dead brain cells.

_If he had any to begin with_, Keiko thought angrily as she used the sleeve of her coat to stem the bleeding.

"Why does it keep moving?" Keiko heard Jack mumble to himself as he took another swipe at the steering wheel, only to miss it by a few feet and stumble to hit the side of her chair.

Keiko watched as Jack pulled himself up by her armrest with much difficulty. Unable to just watch as he continued to hurt himself, Keiko helped to pull him to his feet, but without getting up the task proved difficult. She fumbled with the seat belt, finally getting the restraint to release her as she helped Jack onto his feet and over to his seat. The jet was still jerking about as it continued to descend, alarms starting to go off within the aircrafts interior as the sea below them was getting closer at an alarming speed.

"Have you ever killed anyone before?" Keiko suddenly asked him as she searched for the seat belt in the pilot's seat, using one knee to brace herself against the chair and to keep from tumbling towards the back of the jet.

Jack was looking at her with a blank expression. Seconds passed before surprise filtered over his face.

"No." He said slowly, but then added in a slightly slurred voice, "But I can, you know. Don't think I can't."

Jack blinked at Keiko, then looked down in his lap as she buckled him in, the jet suddenly jerking again so Keiko had to grip the sides of his chair to keep from slamming into him. He looked up, jumping when he found her face only inches from his own, her expression grim as she shakily pulled back from him.

"I may be your first." Keiko told him as she managed to get back into her own seat, once again fumbling with her own seat belt.

Jack looked was unable to respond, choosing to look back out the window, his face paling to a deathly white as the scene before him helped him to regain his senses. He lunged forward, not caring about the belt digging into his abdomen sharply as he gripped the steering wheel, pulling it back.

Slowly, ever so slowly the jet began to pull back as it leveled off. Jack continued to pull it, waiting until he could no longer see the ocean and the alarms had subsided before he eased off it, releasing one hand to press in a command and turn the auto pilot back on.

Minutes passed in relieved silence as Jack and Keiko slumped back in their seats, still shaking from the scare. But soon, Keiko broke the silence.

"Or maybe you'll be your own victim. Your first and last."

Jack scowled.

"Only if I take you with me."

* * *

The rest of the trip had been uneventful, but both passengers were far from relaxed. Keiko had added another notch on the craziness level of Jack Spicer and Jack was taking Keiko's words to heart. Occupied with their own thoughts, it wasn't hard for them to get through the ride in one piece. 

"Where are we?" Keiko asked, her anger and fear melting away at the sight before them. She was in awe of the endless fields and mountainous ranges in the distance. She hadn't even bothered to wait for Jack as she opened the cock pit and hopped out of the jet, slipping off the wing in her haste and hitting the ground hard.

"Somewhere in Asia?" Jack guessed, climbing out at a slower pace as he strapped the portable Shen Gong Wu detector onto his wrist. Such sights were nothing knew to him. It was the young girl tripping over her own two feet that kept him entertained.

"Your knowledge of the world is amazing." Keiko said with no bite, even offering him a smile as she stood up, brushing the dirt and grass from her clothes.

"You're still bleeding." Jack informed her off handedly as he walked passed her and towards a cluster of bamboo in the distance.

Keiko blinked and put her sleeve up to her forehead, hurrying after him.

"Where are we going?" She asked once she was at his side, removing her sleeve to see how bad the bleeding was, then pressing it back on her wound. She didn't realize Jack had been lying and only thought to make trouble, still feeling a bit raw from her earlier comments.

"You'll see." He snapped, which actually translated to 'I have no idea.'

Keiko decided to let it drop, still in amazement of her surroundings. It was surreal to be in such a vast and peaceful place, no concrete, no hundreds of people bustling around, no cars speeding down the streets. It was just nature.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, fresh air. She felt light and almost at a lost. She never knew how different it would be out of Tokyo, the city, out of civilization period.

"Do you live here?" Keiko asked suddenly, recalling something Jack had said earlier.

"What? No!" Jack looked at her as if she were insane, then shook his head.

"You said you didn't see the city very often and we stopped here--" Keiko reasoned, but Jack was already a good distance away from her, completely ruining her good mood as she cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted to him, "Which could of explained why you're so crazy!"

"I'm not crazy!" He shouted back, his voice rising an octave. Jack continued on his way, expecting another shot at him, but there was nothing but the sound of his feet crushing the grass and dirt as he walked across the field. He chanced a glance over his shoulder, coming to a halt when he realized that Keiko was walking in another direction.

"Hey!" Jack called to her, but she didn't even pause. He raised his voice and tried again. "Hey! I thought you wanted to see Kimiko!"

"Yeah!" Keiko stopped abruptly and spun around. "But that obviously won't happen while I'm with you!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack shouted back angrily. "I told you I was going to take you to her!"

"That was almost five hours ago!" Keiko shot back. Her next words came tumbling out as she took a step forward waving her hands to emphasize her point. "How do I know you're not taking me elsewhere to do what you want with me and then throw my body into the sea later?"

Jack blinked, stunned by her suggestion. He soon recovered as he sneered at her, "Don't flatter yourself, you're not worth the effort."

Keiko put a hand over her mouth, then whispered across the field, her lips moving soundlessly. Jack furrowed his brow in confusion.

"_What_?" He hollered across the distance.

Keiko cupped her hands around her mouth and tried again.

Jack could only hear a faint call from the distance, his expression a mask of confusion as he held up his hands at a loss.

"_I said 'You admit it_!'" Keiko shouted as she took a leap forward, her hands cupped around her mouth.

"_Admit what_?" Jack shouted back.

"_You said I'm not worth the effort_!"

"_What about it_?"

"_You_--Forget it!" Keiko let her voice drop as she made a motion with her hand to signal to Jack that she was done with their shouting match. She turned around and began walking away.

"_What_?"

Keiko stiffened at his call, but continued on her way as she tossed a half-hearted wave in his direction. She felt she had enough of the wild goose chases she was being put up to.

"Where are you going?"

Keiko jumped up a foot into the air when Jack suddenly appeared in her path, sending the girl to land on the ground awkwardly, one of her ankles giving out as it twisted and sent her off balance, tumbling to the grass. Stunned by the pain, Keiko could only lie there, willing the throbbing to lessen to a dull ache, looking up at the hovering black and red blob hovering nearby through her watering eyes. The soft whirring of twin blades was her only hint as additional dirt was flown into her already compromised vision.

"You're going the wrong way." Jack said as he turned off his heli-bot, dropping down in front of her. "Did I mention how graceful you are?"

"It might have come up." Keiko managed to grit out through the pain in response to his insensitive comment.

There was a violent rumbling coming from the bamboo forest, ending their conversation quickly as both of them turned to look. Keiko was looking over her shoulder as Jack straightened up, both their eyes widening as cracks in the ground began to appear at random, not far from where they were. Now aware of the situation, they could now hear the indistinct cries and shouting coming from where the cracks were originating from.

"An earthquake?" Keiko pushed herself to a sitting position, trying to figure out what the noises were.

"A showdown!"

"Wha--" Keiko ended on a yelp as Jack had suddenly pulled her by her arms and onto her feet, the throbbing in her ankle increasing, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. She stumbled, but soon resorted to half-hopping, half-skipping after Jack as he jerked her along for a few feet, then activated his heli-bot. Soon Keiko was gripping Jack's arm with both hands, hugging it tightly as relief swept through her, right down to her swollen ankle as she dangled several feet above the ground.

* * *

"Would I be going on a limb if I'm guessing this is a convenient Wu that can talk and offer to show us how it works?" Raimundo asked as he recognized the voice. 

"I would have to pull you back from off that limb and say that is not so." Omi answered as he took a fighting stance, his eyes scanning the area.

Soon the others were following suit as dark, feminine laughter filled the area, the bamboo forest starting to lose light as something darted above them.

"Gaia Bou!" Was shouted from above them just before a long staff came hurtling from the darkness and embedded itself in the middle of the formation the four warriors formed. Immediately, they turned around and jumped away from the object, crouching into defensive stances as they focused on the object before them.

Seconds passed in strained silence. Nothing happened.

"Maybe it's a--" Raimundo ended with a cry of surprise as the ground beneath him depressed sharply, catching him moments before he could fall into the hole farther than his shoulder level. He winced as the earth packed around him tightly within seconds, immobilizing him within the ground as only his head and shoulders were able to move in the slightest. "Hey!"

The other three warriors jumped away from Raimundo, eyes wide as they started searching the ground. Soon depressions were appearing at random, some managing to catch them by surprise, but after seeing the trick once they were able to avoid the traps. Omi and Kimiko, light as they were, grabbed onto the studier bamboo stalks in the forest and climbed until they were a few feet from the ground.

"I've got this one." Clay told them, adjusting his hat with a smirk as he readied himself for his attack. "Wudai Crater, Earth!"

Clay's arms were covered in soil and rocks that rose from the ground. Slamming his hands down, his fingers curled towards his palms, onto the surface, he created a wave of dirt heading towards Raimundo. The Brazilian boy panicked at the sight, closing his eyes together tightly as he waited for the impact, but instead he found himself being lifted up, his earth based prison releasing its hold on him as he popped out of the ground. He landed on his side, looking over at Clay who shook off the dirt and gave him a thumbs up. Kimiko and Omi were cheering from above.

"Grab the Shen Gong Wu!" Omi shouted as he pointed to the staff with his free hand.

Raimundo looked at Clay, who nodded in understanding before both boys reacted. Raimundo jumped up onto a bamboo stalk to avoid another trap while Clay took over and headed for the Wu. It was inches within his grasp, his hand outstretched and ready to grasp it, until an impact made it's way across his face and sent him hurtling through several stalks, breaking them clean through a few feet above the ground.

"Foolish children." Wuya chuckled as she slowly let her arm fall to her side, one hand braced against her hip as she shook her head with a 'tsk.'

"Wuya!" The remaining warriors (and Dojo, who was wrapped around a bamboo stalk far above them) cried.

"Do you really think you're safe up there?" Wuya's lips curled into a terrible smile, breaking out into a cackle as she yanked the Shen Gong Wu from the ground and raised it high above her head.

"Gaia Bou!" She cried out before stabbing it into the earth, her eyes alight.

Soon the entire thicket was filled with shouts and screams as the bamboo began to jerk and spasm in place, clustering around each warrior in a tight grip. The stalks were twisted so firmly and tightly around their limbs that they felt like iron. Wuya chuckled as the bamboo suspended the warriors in the air, picking up Clay last from the ground, still dizzy from her earlier attack as he made no attempt to struggle.

"Quite powerful, don't you agree?" Wuya cooed as she pulled the staff from the ground with ease, running her fingers along the length. "Not quite like my old magic, but it will do."

"What's the matter?" Wuya asked quietly as the warriors refused to retort back, focusing on struggling from their bonds instead. "You seem a bit tired today. Well, how about I be generous, hm? I'll give you a choice of how you could die. I could crush you to death this way--"

Wuya paused to point the staff towards the bamboo stalks, causing their bonds to tighten. The others, for their merit , did not scream, but they grimaced in pain. Wuya's smile widened.

"Or we could do it this way." Wuya threw our both her arms to the side, the staff in the grasp of her right hand as the earth began to shake beneath them violently, the ground jerking up in random areas, unevenly and widening beneath the four warriors. Once they were looking down at what lay below them, Wuya snapped her fingers, the gap in the ground merging together in a split second, rocks and dirt scattering into the air at the power of the impact.

"They both sound _so _appealing." Kimiko said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Wuya made a sound of contempt. "Ingrates."

"As horribly gruesome and painful as that sounds, I'm going to have to pass." Kimiko spat out, her temper short from the already stressful day she was having.

"That's quite a shame, but I'll be understanding _today_." Wuya responded, her eyes narrowing as she pointed the staff at Kimiko. "You'll get something special."

Kimiko stiffened as something slide pass one ear and glide across and around her neck to meet back at the same ear it had started at. She took in a sharp breath at the slight pressure she felt, her heart thundering in her chest as she caught her reflection in Wuya's burning emerald gaze. She smiled as she waved the staff towards the air, a small patch of ground lifting her up so that she towered above the warriors.

"The boys will be crushed to death, but first they're going to watch their little dragon of fire go first." She clasped her hands together, fluttering her eyelashes as she smiled down at the snarling warriors. "See how special you are, my dear."

Suddenly Wuya snapped her fingers. "Oh, that's right."

Wuya called out the Shen Gong Wu's name, holding it up high above her head. The warriors jerked in their bonds in response as bamboo stalks bent and flexed towards them, snaking up their bodies and into their clothes. They cried out in protest, struggling against their bonds, unsure of what Wuya was trying to accomplish. It wasn't until the first stalk had pulled away from Omi, it's branches wrapped around the Orb of Tornami, did they realize what Wuya was doing.

Soon the Shen Gong Wu was held out to Wuya, her smile widening.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

With that Wuya waved the staff in Kimiko's direction, the Shen Gong Wu obeying her will as she wiggled her fingers in a gesture of farewell to them and disappeared through the foliage, the earth that had raised her into the sky crumbling back to the ground.

Kimiko felt the stalk tightening around her throat. She began to hyper-ventilate as the others began shouting and struggling fruitlessly against their bonds. They were exhausted and immobilized, not even strong enough to break free and even if Wuya had not taken their Shen Gong Wu they wouldn't have been able to use them..

_**Little dragon...**_

Kimiko's vision was blurring as she struggled against the bamboo stalks. The sounds of her friends were becoming muffled, drowned out by the beating of her heart thundering in her ears.

**_Dragon of fire..._**

_Bamboo..._

**_Fire..._**

_Fire..._

Kimiko's eyes snapped open.

"Wudai Mars, Fire!" Kimiko rasped out as loudly as she could, just seconds before her entire body was engulfed with flames, immediately taking hold of their bamboo bonds. Then Kimiko clenched her eyes shut as she focused her mind on destroying _only _the bamboo, praying that the others wouldn't be hurt in the process.

Raimundo and Clay were quick to respond once their bonds loosened, allowing them to break free with minimal hesitation as they closed their eyes at the sight of the flames licking at an uncomfortably close range. Once free, both boys immediately responded with their element, Clay dropping to the ground to take care of the deep trenches just waiting to crush them and Raimundo to catch himself and raise Omi and Kimiko high above the flames.

"Wudai Neptune, Water!" Omi took the hint as he sent out a shower of water to douse the flames to keep from destroying the entire thicket and causing more damage than necessary.

"I'd say that was a pretty close call." Clay said once he had finished closing the cracks to the best of his ability, wiping an arm over his sweating brow. The surface was still definitely uneven, but there were no dangerous cracks that could lead to serious injury in the ground and it seemed that with Wuya and the Shen Gong Wu no longer close by, the powers were lessened and soon the bamboo thicket held no traces of magic.

Raimundo landed near Clay, guiding his powers to bring Omi and Kimiko back to the ground safely. They all let out their own sighs of relief as the forest became quiet. Dojo slid down one of the untouched bamboo, his claws scraping away at the stalk as he dug them into just before he touched the ground.

"That went well." The dragon commented casually as he let go and touched onto the slightly damp earth. He glanced up at the warriors, shrinking back at the glares he was receiving.

"Lost the Wu in record time." Raimundo mumbled as he kicked up some rocks, frightening Dojo who covered his tiny arms over his face. He rolled his eyes as he turned away, this time being the one on the receiving end of the glares. "What?"

"According to the scroll, the Gaia Bou has the ability to control plants, including the soil it grows from." Kimiko said once she had pulled out the scroll and opened it to reveal the picture demonstrating the use of the Shen Gong Wu. In similar fashion to how Wuya used it, there were two people depicted in the circle, one holding up the staff while plants sprung from the ground and entangled the enemy, immobilizing him.

"That was quick thinking, Kimiko, to use your element to free us from our restraints." Omi praised, earning a weak smile from Kimiko, but it fell from her face at his next words. "But why did you not think of it sooner?"

"Yeah, you were cutting it really close there, Kimiko." Raimundo put in, adding oil to the fire. "Trying to keep us in suspense?"

"You want to start with me?" Kimiko snapped the scroll shut, her small form radiating her anger as she clutched the item like a weapon in her hands tightly. Omi and Raimundo shook their heads quickly, taking a step back. Kimiko turned her glare on Clay and Dojo who blinked in response.

"I didn't say anything." Clay defended as Dojo waved his claws in front of him.

"You did earlier." She snapped, shoving the scroll into her pack.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Clay said calmly, then looked down at the small dragon. "Maybe it's time we go, Dojo?"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Dojo agreed. The others stepped away from the dragon to make room, a noticeable distance away from Kimiko who continued to kept her head up high, her face turned away from them. Dojo looked over at the boys who just shrugged in response before he took on his larger form. "All aboard the Dojo express!"

Naturally, Kimiko was the first on as the boys wisely chose to wait for her. They climbed up, still keeping their distance as Dojo glanced over his shoulder to check the progress of his riders, then headed up towards the sky at an angle. They broke the foliage, causing them to squint their eyes at the sunlight intruding in their eyes. Dojo flew in a wide circle over the thicket, letting them survey the damage that was left behind and anything that might have been left in the fight, but there was nothing of interest.

"Home?" Dojo questioned, hovering in place.

The boys stayed silent, knowing that Kimiko was still worried about her friend, but silently they were agreeing with Dojo. To their surprise, Kimiko did as well.

"Home." She said in a defeated tone, her head bowed. Kimiko knew why she had taken so long to use her element. She had actually forgotten about her abilities. She was exhausted and her mind was unfocused, it had been bad enough that Wuya had found the Shen Gong Wu before them, but she had went so far to toy with them. Had it been any other day, it would have been easy to at least come to the point where they could have challenged Wuya to a showdown, but today they were fighting at only half their power. Kimiko believing she was the one at her worst.

It pained her, but Kimiko could no longer ignore her body's protests and the close call they had just encountered. She needed to rest. If she kept going at the rate she was at, they'd never be able to fight at their best and there was no way she would be able to find Keiko.

Dojo hesitated, but at the nods of the other warriors he turned and began to gain altitude. Kimiko sat behind the boys, slowly looking up to see them staring out ahead at the sky before them. She looked over her shoulder and saw the damage they left behind, smoke still curling from the space their fight had resulted in. Before she turned away from the sight that only helped to remind her of their defeat, she caught sight of a figure just at the edge of the thicket.

Too far away to see any details, Kimiko guessed it was a young boy, his hair black and wearing shades of blue. The figure was moving at an agonizingly slow pace, or it could of been that Dojo was moving so swiftly that they figure seemed to moving slowly. Kimiko briefly wondered if the figure that was shrinking in the distance knew about what had just transpired only a few meters away. The thought brought a sharp stab of guilt as she was reminded about Keiko who was still missing, possibly because of _her_.

It was a frightening notion, but the billions of people who lived on this earth were oblivious to the fight, to put it bluntly, between good and evil that was happening right under their noses.

* * *

Many things were going through Keiko's mind as they touched down somewhere in the bamboo thicket. She had to grab onto Jack, leaning on him heavily as a sharp pain shot from her ankle and up through her spine as a reminder, but he didn't seem to notice. He dashed from her grasp and farther into the thicket, Keiko biting her lip to keep from crying out as her weight was shifted onto her injury. She gripped the nearest bamboo stalk, careful to avoid the cracks in the earth that seemed to litter the entire forest floor. 

When she had heard him at first, she immediately thought of a fight, but what she didn't understand was how an _earthquake_ could be a signal of a fight occurring somewhere in the bamboo forest. She had then waved it off as having misheard him and went so far as to think that he might have said 'show' as in a movie production being filmed out in the middle of nowhere. The earthquake was a special effect and... even that explanation fell off lamely in her mind.

"What are you doing?"

Keiko gripped the stalk tightly, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath. She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes to find an irate Jack Spicer standing in front of her with a frown marring his expression. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along, Keiko biting her lip hard to keep from letting out the string of screams (and possibly death threats) that were just on the tip of her tongue.

The closer they got, the louder the voices were and the more Jack sped up. The area seemed strange to Keiko as they started to climb over rocks and ledges jutting from the ground, as well as painful, she was ready to cry at the unfairness of the situation, but soon Jack stopped, holding out an arm to keep her from moving any further. Keiko collapsed to her feet once she saw the movement, pressing her head against the hard, rock surface of the unusual mass of earth just sitting there amongst all the bamboo. Jack was peeking over the side, pulling back to hide behind the rock quickly as they listened to the voices that only now did Keiko realize, was clear.

"... Something special."

Keiko didn't recognize the voice, but Jack was sweating besides her, fidgeting against their hiding place.

"It's Wuya." He whispered to her silent question, looking around the side to narrow his eyes and stick out his tongue at Wuya's back. "I didn't think she'd be here."

Keiko could only stare at Jack's back as he continued to watch the scene behind the rock formation, of which she was clueless too. Rather than make the situation more clear, his answers only served to bring up more questions. Who was Wuya? Why did he not expect her to be here? Why were_ they _here in the first place?

"The boys will be crushed to death, but first they're going to watch their little dragon of fire go first."

Keiko looked towards her own side, slowly shifting her weight closer to the edge.

"See how special you are, my dear."

Keiko managed to look over the side. She was at a lost for words at the scene before her. A woman with hair even more striking than the thief that hid next to her was being raised towards the sky on a rising platform (of rocks?) and before Keiko could get a better look at the woman, she was gone in a blink of an eye. She watched in fascination as the structure crumbled back down to the earth, covering her head with one arm as dirt and rocks came pelting towards her. Once the dust had cleared, Keiko shook off the rubble and chanced another glance at the scene.

"Wudai Mars, Fire!"

Keiko jerked away, her face stinging at the bright blaze of fire that exploded to life, the heat could be felt all around. It took a moment for the Keiko to recover, but soon the fire had lessened, allowing her to chance another glance around their hiding place.

"Wudai Star, Wind!"

"Wudai Crater, Earth!"

Keiko watched, gripping the rock and dirt formation that hid her from view as a brown haired boy was lifted into the sky and a bulky, blonde wearing a cowboy hat was slamming his hands into the earth, the cracks in the ground disappearing as the surface moved and merged together.

"Wudai Neptune, Water!"

Keiko was shocked by the splash of water that hit her from the sky, looking up to see it originating from a small, bald young boy who was floating in the air. The person she saw floating next to him had her slipping onto the damp earth, her side being jabbed by rocks jutting out of the ground, but she could barely feel a thing.

"That went well."

Keiko watched, her mind growing numb as she felt her world spinning. The four in the distance were looking over at a creature that resembled a snake on the ground. Even still a good ten meters away, Keiko could still hear them clearly, her hearing sharpening as she focused on the movement of their lips. She clenched her eyes shut briefly, forcing them open by sheer force of will as she continued to stare at the only girl standing amongst the destruction, her mind in denial.

_It can't be her,_ She reasoned. _It's just someone who looks like her--_

"--to the scroll, the Gaia Bou has the ability--"

Keiko struggled to sit up, clutching the rock. That voice was definitely Kimiko.

_Or not, I mean, when was the last time we talked? A month?_ Keiko reasoned, grasping at straws.

"That was quick thinking, Kimiko, to use your element to free us from our restraints."

The young boy's voice echoed in her head as he said Kimiko's name. Keiko found herself leaning against the rock formation, what remaining strength she had left draining out of her body as she stared at the ground. Even as their voices became indistinct, the conversation lost on her, Kimiko's name rang out clearly, like a bell being hit right by Keiko's ears.

_There... there are plenty of girls named Kimiko. _Keiko thought, but her chest felt tight and her breathing was shallow. _That's not her, it's just someone who sounds like her, looks like her, has the same name as her... _

"Kimiko..."

She winced at the sound of her voice in combination with the name she had just spoken, turning from the side to find herself face to face with a grinning Jack Spicer.

Keiko closed her eyes, blocking the vision as she turned away.

"Enough proof for you?" Jack rubbed in, a smug look on his face.

There was no response.

"Big surprise, isn't it?" Jack was grinning, delighting at the look on Keiko's face as she brought her knees up to her chest, one leg stopping short, dropping back to the ground as she wrapped her arms around her left knee, her face buried against them. Jack refused to stop there, rubbing salt in her wounds as he edged closer.

"She didn't tell you _anything_, did she?" Jack whispered excitedly, fighting to get his voice down as he knew the warriors were still nearby. Then an idea struck him. "Doesn't it make you mad? What kind of best friend _lies_ to you?"

Keiko made no sound, but Jack saw her clench her fingers into the material of her sleeves.

"And what is she doing here? She knows you're being accused of a crime you never committed back home! She didn't even come and visit you--"

Keiko's fingers were turning white.

"This is your chance to get back at her." Jack was grinning, glancing up briefly as he heard the sound of Dojo breaking through the bamboo leaves, nudging Keiko until she finally jerked up her gaze at him. He had expected to see her crying, but instead, her eyes were blazing with an anger he had seen many times before in the eyes of the very few women in his life, including his mother.

"So, how about it?" He concluded weakly, pulling away from her in the slightest.

Instead of answering, Keiko turned away from him, stumbling to her feet as she used the rock that they had used to cover them as support. She started to gimp away, clutching every bamboo stalk that was within her reach to keep herself from falling. Jack watched in surprise as she half-walked, half-limped away from him towards the edge of the bamboo thicket. He stood up and slowly made his way after her.

"Hey! Where are you going now?"

Keiko refused to answer him, moving more wildly as she tried to quicken her pace.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Jack's tone grew annoyed as he too quickened his pace.

"I've had enough." Keiko said quietly, keeping her voice as even as possible. She was starting to sweat from the effort and sharp pain emitting from her ankle.

"Of course!" Jack agreed whole heartedly, now walking backwards as he made his way in front of her, rubbing his hands together as a smile made its way on to his face. "That's why I can help you get back at her--"

"I've had enough of _you_." Keiko snapped. Jack tripped over a root at her statement, landing flat on his back. He winced as he looked up at the stalks looming over him, Keiko moving around him as she just barely missed hitting his nose with her foot that she held off the ground, hopping on her left. She kept her focus on the ground to keep herself from meeting the same fate as Jack was back on his feet, staring after her. His face took on a stormy expression as he watched her finally exit the thicket and into the open fields, following after her a few steps behind.

"If that's the way it's going to be, then fine!" He called after her. Keiko continued to gimp away, her arms held out to her sides to keep her balance without even a single glance over her shoulder. His irritation rising, Jack took another step forward, cupping his hands over his mouth. "That's right, keep walking. Limping. Hopping like some three legged... cow! Don't even think of crawling back to me because you just missed your chance, baby!"

Keiko paused, catching her breath. Had she been listening to Jack, she might have took offense at his three legged cow insult.

Misreading her action, Jack smirked and emerged out of the thicket, taking his time as he strolled over to her shaking form.

"So I see you've come to your senses. You know you need me. Now that we've got that co--Hey!"

Keiko was limping away again. Jack watched in disbelief as she continued to ignore him. A full minute passed and Keiko had yet to cover very much ground, but she continued to limp away at a steady speed.

Too angry to form words, Jack activated his heli-bot and flew into her path, but this time Keiko was ready and merely paused long enough to shift directions to move around him. Not one to be ignored, Jack followed her, forcing Keiko to realize that he wasn't about to let her go quietly. Giving in for the moment, Keiko sighed, dropping her foot, but leaned on the left to keep off any pressure on her injury.

"You think you can walk away from Jack Spicer? No one walks away from Jack Spicer! If anything, it's Jack Spicer who's going to do all the walking!" He spat at her, deactivating his heli-bot as he dropped onto his feet, jabbing a finger at her.

Keiko said nothing. She merely stood there, staring at him with a blank expression, knowing he had more to say and it was fruitless to tell him to shove those words elsewhere.

"I'm walking away from you. That's right!" Jack stomped his foot, his arms crossed over his chest as he put his nose in the air. "You'll be sorry, oh you'll be sorry. You'll be crawling back to me in no time once you realize how _hopeless_ you are without _me_. You're in the middle of nowhere, you realize that don't you? And you know what? I'm not going to wait around for you to realize that so you might as well start begging now. It's my way or the high way, get it?"

"As obnoxious as ever, I see."

All the anger and rage that showed in his eyes melted into surprise and a hint of fear as Jack jerked around, his arms falling to his sides as he scanned the area. His eyes immediately landed on the source of the voice.

"Wuya!"

Keiko felt her own irritation and exasperation fade as she noticed the woman from earlier walking towards them.

"I-I thought you left." He stuttered, taking a step backwards.

The red-headed woman gave him a look of amusement, stopping short as she placed one hand on her hip, the other holding the staff at her side.

"Well, you thought wrong. It wouldn't be the first time." She smirked. "You being wrong, I mean. The thinking part is a whole other story."

Boiling at her insult, Jack ground his teeth together, thinking of something to counter with.

"Is that your mother?"

Wuya and Jack actually stumbled in their places at the question. Wuya was looking at Keiko with a look of horror, finally taking notice of her as Jack stepped away from her, his expression similar to Wuya's.

"_**What**!_" Both of them shrieked.

"I'm sorry." Keiko said out of habit, surprised by their reactions. "It's just, your hair and... I didn't mean..."

"That witch?" Jack accused, pointing at Wuya with a look of disgust.

"How can you ask that?" Wuya questioned in disbelief, her expression matching Jack's.

"That's what I want to know!" Jack added, glaring at Keiko.

"I'm sorry..." Keiko repeated, at a loss of what to do.

"If he were my son, I'd have been long gone." Wuya added, shaking her head.

"Yeah--Hey!" Jack broke off with a whimper.

"Oh, can't you handle even a little bit of banter?" Wuya snapped, her eyes narrowing in disgust as Jack cowered under her gaze.

Keiko stumbled as Jack backed into her, grabbing onto his shoulder to keep from falling. She wasn't about to make herself look like a fool in front of this strange woman, or even Jack for that matter. Once she regained her balance, Keiko let go, limping to the side in case Jack chose to back into her again.

"I can handle anything you can throw at me, you old hag!" Despite his brave words, Jack's voice shook, barely stopping himself from stuttering. Wuya took a step forward, causing Jack to swallow hard and stumble back, his arms held out in front of him hesitantly.

"Is that a challenge?" Wuya arched an eyebrow, pointing the staff at him.

"No!" He squeaked, but it was too late. The grass beneath his feet elongated, the tips sharpening as it entangled him, wrapping around his arms and legs. Suspended a few feet from the ground, Jack whimpered as the grass held him near Wuya, her lips curling into a smirk. Keiko felt her legs give out, given the fact that only one of them were useful to begin with. She didn't even flinch as she hit the ground, knowing that it mattered little if she did have full use of both her legs. Surrounded by tall grass in all directions, there would be no way to outrun this woman and her... magic.

"Normally, I wouldn't bother with a spineless worm like yourself--("Hey!")--However, it seems that you've brought along something new."

_Something_? Keiko thought indignantly as Wuya focused her gaze on her. Her anger faded, realizing she was now held the dangerous woman's attention.

"Earlier, I thought you were talking to yourself, but it seems you _do_ have company." Wuya turned the staff on Keiko, causing the girl to flinch involuntarily. Pleased by the reaction, Wuya lowered it and stepped over to her, ignoring Jack's protests at being left hanging, literally.

"A new addition to the side of idiocy?" Wuya questioned, casting her shadow over Keiko, only a few feet away. "Seeking help from little boys now? I would have thought that bratty cousin of yours would have been your next choice."

_Little... boy!_ Keiko shot up to her feet, a bad move considering her injury. The moment she was standing, her ankle gave out with a sharp stab of pain, sending Keiko tumbling onto her side, her right arm taking the full force of impact as Keiko rolled onto her back, clutching it as her eyes clenched shut.

"I'm not a boy." Keiko said managed to grit out, her face burning with a mixture of embarrassment and pain.

"Of course." Wuya said unconcernedly, giving Keiko the impression that she had knew she was a girl all along. Wuya watched Keiko push herself into a sitting position, but made no move to rise any further. Wuya smiled.

"Let me help you." Wuya offered. Without waiting for a reply she lifted the staff and stabbed it into the ground just inches from Keiko's hand that was resting on the ground. She jerked away, surprised by the sudden and violent action, but soon she was being lifted up and restrained in the same manner Jack had been.

Keiko pulled at the bonds hesitantly, fearful enough that she didn't want to be held this way, but she didn't want to encourage the woman to feel she had to reinforce the hold on her. As she pulled at the bonds, Keiko was surprised to find that they really were holding her tightly and it really did feel like the grass she had been lying on moments before. Her hair still damp and mud crackling off of her jacket, Keiko was held high in the air, suspended by _grass_ wrapped tightly around her legs and arms that kept her cocooned in place. It was then the reality of the situation hit her and sunk through her mind that was slowly being cleared of the fog of denial.

"This is real."

The words had escaped her before she could stop them, her voice full of disbelief. Wuya raised an eyebrow at that, looking over at Jack who was sulking in his restraints.

"You're scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren't you?" Wuya turned back to Keiko, lifting the staff to touch the young girl under her chin, forcing her head up. Keiko jerked at the contact and away from the staff, her eyes squeezing shut as Jack looked at Wuya in confusion. "Where did you pick this one up? Caught her stealing at a toy shop?"

_Caught her stealing at a toy shop..._

Wuya's accusation echoed through her mind as the sudden jolt of electricity that shot through her body faded, her nerves on edge. It wasn't as painful as much as it was surprising, but she quickly overlooked it as Wuya's words caused her anger to return in full force. It had been enough when she had been brought to the middle of nowhere and twisted her ankle, maybe even broken it after all the irritation and pressure she had put it under. Then finding out what exactly Kimiko had been up to all this time and now, to be accused as a _thief_?

"I'm not a thief!" Keiko shouted, surprising the two as she began to struggle in her restraints violently. "I'm not a boy and I'm not working for anyone! If you have business with him, that's fine but don't put us in the same class because _I'm nothing like him_!"

Keiko's last words echoed through the clearing. It was as if a strong gust of wind had blown across the clearing as the grass all around them shuddered and waved across the field, but Wuya nor Jack felt any breeze. Slightly alarmed, Wuya felt a shift in the area moments before she jumped away, the place that she had just been standing on shooting into the air like a powerful eruption of grass, dirt, and rock. Just before Wuya lost sight of Keiko or Jack, she saw them both hit the ground as the restraints she put on them crumbled about them.

As suddenly as the shift happened, it was gone and the grass and earth crumbled and fell to the earth, raining on the two teenagers and Wuya as well. She scowled, leaping back even further to avoid the debris, staring at the disturbance in the ground near the young girl.

Keiko was laying in the dirt, unmoving. Jack was the first to recover, slowly removing his arms from above his head as the debris finally stopped falling, looking himself over to check the damage. Seeing nothing serious, he proceeded to brush the dirt and grass from his arms and hair, shaking it out quickly.

Her lip curling in annoyance, Wuya slammed the staff into the dirt.

"Gaia Bou!" She shouted.

Jack raised his arms in front of him, screaming in anticipation of the attack.

Seconds passed in silence.

Jack opened his eyes slowly, peeking through the gap in his arms as he spied Wuya staring at him in astonishment. Lowering his arms, he watched as Wuya turned her gaze to the staff, pulling it out before stabbing it back into the earth.

"Gaia Bou!"

Jack waited, but again nothing happened.

"Gaia Bou! Gaia Bou!" Wuya was shouting, pulling it out and resorting to shaking it at the two teenagers. "_Gaia Bou!_"

Jack felt a grin working its way on his face. Out of the corner of his eye he could see movement and turned to see Keiko slowly pushing herself up to a sitting position. She held a hand to her face, covering her eyes as she swayed, before falling again, this time on her back.

"Who's the idiot, now?" Jack laughed, jumping to his feet as he pointed at Wuya.

At his taunt, Wuya stopped, looking at Jack sharply. Immediately his grin disappeared and he fell to his knees.

"Don't hurt me!"

"I wouldn't waste my time." Wuya spat out, looking back at the staff in her hands with fury. She raised her arm to throw the suddenly useless Shen Gong Wu in her hands (most likely at Jack and kill two birds with one stone), but something in her memory was triggered and stopped her.

"--**_Until then keep an eye out for anything unusual--_**"

"**_Anything unusual?" _**

_**"What useless advice..."**_

Wuya's hand slowly lowered as her eyes widened, recalling the conversation she had with Hannibal only a day earlier. Looking at the Shen Gong Wu in a new light, she grasped it firmly.

"Not as useless as I thought." Wuya murmured to herself, looking up to see Jack still cowering at a distance. Her gaze shifted towards the girl who was struggling into a sitting position once again. Wuya watched as the girl managed to stay up, still swaying in place, her hand falling into her lap to reveal her glassy gaze.

Jack was watching Wuya fearfully as she started heading towards them. He crawled backwards with every step she took, his heart hammering in his chest as he eyed the staff in her grasp, but Wuya's gaze was focused on the girl. She stopped a few feet before the Keiko, her eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" Wuya asked, her tone leaving no room for nonsense.

Keiko slowly looked up at Wuya, but having to tilt her head threw her body off balance so that she ended up on her back once again. Misinterpreting Keiko's actions, Wuya took it as an insult and took another step forward so that she was looming over the girl, grabbing her by the collar and pulling her up so that she dangled above the ground, Keiko's nose inches away from Wuya's.

"I asked you a question." Wuya spoke in a harsh whisper, an unspoken threat hanging in the air.

"Why do you care?" Jack interjected from a distance, now on his feet. Wuya glared at him, causing him to shrink back. She turned her gaze back to Keiko, but the young girl could only stare at Wuya blankly. As Wuya glared at the girl, she tried to raise her up high above her head to intimidate her, but she was surprised to see her arm shaking from the effort. Wuya dropped the idea, but even as she held Keiko in place, her feet still dangling above the ground, Wuya's arm continued to tremble.

In that time, Jack felt his curiosity get the better of him and spoke up again, despite the danger it put his physical being in.

"Why do you want to know?"

Wuya growled audibly, dropping Keiko to the ground as she turned to Jack sharply, momentarily pushing her concern aside. In a single bound, she landed in front of the shaking boy. He screamed in surprise, but Wuya grabbed him by the collar to keep him from running. Realizing that Keiko wasn't about to give her any answers, she turned to the next best source.

"Who is she?"

"No, don't hurt me! Not the face! _Not the face_!" Jack whimpered, covering his face with his arms, but Wuya grabbed them both in a crushing grip, yanking them down so her green eyes burned into his frightened red ones.

"Answer the question, Jack." She told him, her voice dripping with malice. Jack swallowed hard, the pain in his arms helping him to focus.

"Sh-she's Kimiko's friend. Keiko Naga...Nagisu... Her name's Keiko." He finished lamely, shutting his eyes tightly as he prepared himself for Wuya's wrath.

"A friend of Kimiko?" Wuya blinked, dropping Jack to the ground. She looked over her shoulder, then back at Jack as he curled himself into a ball out of reflex, his arms covering his head as he trembled at her feet.

"Why is she with you?"

Jack slowly removed his arms, glancing over at Keiko's form, then at Wuya fearfully. Wuya rolled her eyes as Jack continued to dart his gaze between herself and Keiko as he started to stutter out some sort of response.

"I was... She's..."

"She's not even conscious, Jack." Wuya said in exasperation, grabbing the boy by the collar and pulling him to his feet. He noticeably relaxed, but couldn't help to glance at Keiko's motionless form once more before focusing his gaze on Wuya, swallowing hard before he answered.

"I was taking her to see Kimiko."

"Were you?" Wuya arched an eyebrow at that.

"I wanted to find out some dirt on Kimiko, so I offered to help Keiko find her if she would answer my questions. Turns out she didn't know anything." Jack said with a frown, adding with emphasis, "And I mean _anything._ She doesn't even know about the Shen Gong Wu or that Kimiko's been training up in China all this time."

"Where did you find her?" Wuya asked, having a better understanding about the girl's earlier reaction.

"In Japan. Kind of got her in trouble." Jack chuckled nervously. "I sort of... framed her."

Wuya's eyes widened and Jack silently cursed himself for letting his mouth run off before his mind could catch up. He told Wuya more than what was necessary.

_She didn't need to know that!_ Jack thought to himself angrily.

"My, my, Jack." Wuya said with surprise. "And what did you frame her for?"

"I robbed from Kimiko's father's company." Jack said proudly, feeling more confident by Wuya's reaction. He mentally winced. It was hard to keep his mouth shut once he got going.

"Without getting caught? I see you are improving." Wuya praised him, her mouth curled in a mocking smile. "But not by much."

"Why the sudden interest in her?" Jack's demeanor changed, his arms crossing over his chest as he pouted.

"I could ask the same of you." Wuya countered.

"What are you talking about? I told you, she's Kimiko's--"

"Friend? Yes, of course." Wuya waved off, turning back to check on the girl.

"I'm surprised Chase let you out on your own." Jack sneered at her, trying to change the topic. "Shouldn't you be scrubbing his floors or something?"

A split second later Jack was sent flying across the field, right into the side of his jet that appeared out of nowhere, the cloaking device malfunctioning due to the impact. Jack fell out of the dent he created.

"Good point." Jack slurred out before he collapsed onto the ground.

Wuya flexed her fingers against her palm, examining the hand she had used to hit Jack, surprised to see him still coherent enough to give a response after her attack. Perhaps she was losing her touch?

"I'm a little surprised myself." Wuya said to herself, looking back at the staff and then at the girl that still remained unconscious. Wuya looked at the hand she had held Keiko with, holding it up to the sunlight.

"Very surprised." Wuya said quietly.

* * *

**AN: **Okay, so maybe I lied about the romance, unless you saw some romance in the last couple of chapters? No? Well, I think we're finally at the half-way point or maybe over it by a chapter or two. Hm, well I should get to work on the next chapter... but I think I rather see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, again! XD I'm sorry, Johnny Depp/Jack Sparrow is just too much to resist. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to review :) 

When the warriors finally return to the temple, what will Master Fung have to say about the situation? What of Jack or Keiko? What is Wuya going to do with the two vulnerable teenagers?


	11. Homeward Bound

**AN:** Hey, my story made a C2, the one with the biggest archive size right now. Unholy Trio or something? The one focusing around Jack, Chase, and Wuya. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but hey, maybe it gives my story more exposure! No? Worth a try :x

**Author Rant:** (bangs head on table) I'm so tired and stressed. I am really at my rope's end. I really thought I was going to finish this story before I had to start school, but that plans out the window. I thought I'd get this chapter out about a week ago, but again, guess that was a bust. To be honest, if I don't finish this story by the end of my summer vacation, it's not very likely that I'll finish it at all, if anyone reads my author notes or really cares about this story :x I'll try though, but the updates will be pretty infrequent. To tell you the truth, how I'm updating now is pretty fast compared to how I use to be :x Main excuse for the delay of this chapter? Well, besides school crap-o-la, I've been watching the Avatar and Invader Zim X3

And if you haven't heard, my keyboard was out of comission for a while and I just got a new one :X It was a pain in the behind to hook up, hopefully it doesn't die on my or something one day. The keys are a little different too so I'm still getting the hang of it, partly the reason why this chapter was harder to write/type. Also getting super tired because I have work and stress as well as the fact I've started running again. I run slow but I go for a decent amount My body is still sore.

Did I mention I was stressed out? Really stressed out, but I remember fun memories to keep me going. Like the time I went karaoke with my friends and we sang _Barbie Girl _by **Aqua** which was hilarious because I sang as Barbie and my friends (girls) sang Ken's part. Then there was the time when my two friends (guy and girl) were drinking Jamba Juice but they wanted each other's drink, so they wanted to switch, but my friend had gotten the femme boost, so we were all cracking up because the guy really wanted to trade drinks, but he thought the drink might do..._things_ to him (We all thought _The Longest Yard_) haha.

**Thanks** to **krystalmaze** for reviewing both chapter nine and ten, I'm glad the story is still interesting and that you liked Jack's line to Wuya. Soon we'll be finding out what Hannibal's up to (or not so soon, sometimes I don't write what I plan to at first. Let's go with eventually?) and you're so on it! I'm glad you realize what's going on with Keiko, but the full story will be revealed later (the same time Hannibal reveals his plans, I think). Thank you to **unknown**, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm also happy that you're understanding about my stress! I do stress out easily xx And thank you, I thought I might have been the only one who really enjoyed it, I admit it was a bit long, but it really helps you anticipate what's yet to come! And thank you to **Egglette**, I'm glad you liked it even with the lack of romance and Jack being a jerk is a popular opinion so far. Well, it wouldn't be very Jack-like to be all sunshine and flowers to Keiko when they've only known each other for less than a day and it's not like she has anything to offer him. As for Wuya, in a nut shell, yes, technically she's teamed up with Chase. Let's just leave it at that for my story :x They're not exactly the best of friends, but they tolerate one another. Just barely for Chase though. Oh and I loved your 'Hosnap.' I know, that's weird but I'm easily amused :3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. If I did, their robes would be put on the right way, for one!

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**Homeward Bound**

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Jack regained consciousness only to be greeted by a dull throbbing behind his eyelids. He let out a low moan as he clutched the sides of his head, curling on his side. He could smell the grass and dirt beneath him and turned away on to his back only to wince at the sunlight glaring at him from above. He moved his hands to cover his eyes as he sat up, clenching his teeth together as pain racked through his entire body, mainly along his back.

_What happened... _Jack questioned to himself, moving one hand to rub at his aching back. He stiffened when he saw a black blur out of the corner of his eyes. His vision was blurry and all he could distinguish were vague shapes and colors. He turned around slowly as his heart thundered in his ears, a whimper escaping him as he saw a huge black object just over his shoulder. He scrambled away backwards, staring at the huge shape while rubbing his eyes with one hand and using the other to help hasten his escape.

Soon his vision cleared and Jack stilled his movements, feeling like a fool as his jet came into clear focus.

A scowl made it's way on his face as he pushed himself to his feet, mentally shouting all sorts of names for his idiocy as he brushed the dirt from his pants. He glared at the aircraft as it was at fault for his behavior, but a huge dent caught his eyes. The pieces fell together and Jack straightened up, stiffening in alarm.

"Wuya!" He suddenly shouted, causing himself to wince and his eyes clenched shut as he mentally cursed his idiocy once more. The throbbing in his head increased at the effort it took to say her name, but the possibility of being thrown around like a rag doll forced him to open his eyes.

Jack looked over his shoulder nervously, scanning the plain around him.

There was no sign of the Heylin sorceress.

Somewhat at ease, Jack slowly relaxed. He looked back at his jet and made a face at the very noticeable dent that he had indirectly made. He walked over to it as he felt the bent metal, mumbling comments to himself.

"Not another one." He whined, slapping at the metal in frustration. "It'll be a pain to fix!"

To anyone else, it would have seemed odd that someone could take a situation in a different light. It had been the impact of Jack's body that had created the dent, but all he seemed to care about was the cost and time repairs would take and only gave a minimal amount of attention to the injuries he sustained from the beating he took. It was doubtful than anyone else would have reacted in the same manner.

At least, no average person would have.

With a shake of his head (which he quickly regretted as the poundind at his temples intensified) he placed a hand to his forehead. Rubbing to ease the pain behind his eyes, he looked up at the sky, trying to determine the time of the day by using the sun's position in the sky. Knowing he really couldn't do such a thing, he was content to watch the clouds inch by and reviewed his options.

"It shouldn't be a problem to get home." Jack told himself, more for his own comfort as he stood alone in the field of grass. "But I feel like I'm missing something..."

It took a beat or two, but soon Jack's eyes widened. Alone wasn't quite right.

* * *

Keiko woke abruptly, gasping to meet the waking world. Her vision was blurred and all she could see were vague shapes and colors that were blotted into her vision. She felt a sense of deja vu as she woke up in a similar manner when she had regained consciousness in the hospital. Once again she was dazed and disoriented, but she felt much worse. She felt nauseous and her right ankle was throbbing painfully. She felt sore and sticky and to top it off, she smelled of dried sweat and even blood.

The young Japanese girl swallowed hard. Blinking, she raised a hand to rub her eyes only to bring dirt and pieces of grass to her face. She pulled her hand away in alarm, bringing her other hand to wipe off the debris. Unwilling to heave when she knew that there was nothing left in her stomach that could be sacrificed, she turned to the side and spit. Saliva ran down her chin, making her feel even more dirty as she roughly wiped the sleeve of her jacket against her mouth, only to pull it back to see it stained with dried blood.

Frustrated, Keiko gave up and looked down at her legs. Her vision cleared, but she was greeted to a sight that only added more problems to her steadily growing list. She cringed at the sight of her ankle, now swollen to twice it's normal size with a large brownish red stain on her already dirty socks. She slowly looked back at the injury, her hands twitching to remove the shoe in order to lessen the painful throbbing, but feared that it would cause even more pain in struggling to remove her shoe. She dropped her hands to her sides and slowly fell onto her back, staring up at the sky with mounds of dirt and grass surrounding her.

"Hey!"

That was Keiko's only warning before a foot came crashing down only inches away from her head.

"Hey--" Jack shouted, kicking up dirt. Keiko winced as tiny particles flew into her eyes, turning on her side away from him as she clenched her eyes shut, one hand moving to help remove the dirt from them.

Jack caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye and looked down, his eyes widening.

"Hey, you don't have to hide anymore." Jack blinked when he saw Keiko sit up, tears falling from her eyes as she rubbed at them furiously. "What're you crying for? She's gone!" Then Jack mumbled quietly to himself, "And they say I'm a wimp--wait..."

"I'm not crying because of her!" Keiko denied, as she finally managed to get the dirt out. She glared at Jack, her eyes red with irritation, but Jack misread them and shrugged.

"If you want to lie to yourself, that's fine..." Jack

"You kicked dirt into my eyes!" Keiko shouted at him, wiping the remnants of her tears from her face.

"Why were your eyes in the way of my dirt?" Jack countered, realizing how idiotic it sounded as soon as it left his mouth. He made a face at the question, but having Keiko yell at him while he felt just as irritated set him off.

"I... " Keiko was thrown off by his absurd question, staring at him with her mouth gaping. She quickly regained her composure as she let out a deep sigh, dropping her face into her hands. She switched to Japanese automatically as she mumbled out her next words.

"What?" Jack asked, crouching down to hear her.

Keiko let out another sigh, shaking her head as she dropped one hand into her lap, the other pushing back her hair that was plastered to her forehead and cheeks. She closed her eyes as she pressed the palm of her hand to one eye, tilting her head back and to the side before righting herself up again. She slowly opened up the other eye that lay uncovered. Her eye widened.

A moment later Jack had fallen onto his rear end clutching his face, his headache returning in full force.

"What the hell?" He shouted in a nasally tone.

Keiko shot back a response in Japanese, her hand braced at her sides as she leaned back, away from him. Jack had been right in front of Keiko when she had opened her eye. It had surprised her and she shot her hand out to push him away, but she ended up hitting his nose with the back of her hand.

"What?" Jack's expression briefly turned to confusion.

"That's my line." Keiko repeated in English, attempting to wipe the sweat and dirt from her face with her sleeve, but only succeeded in smearing it.

"Are you trying to break my nose?" Jack shot at her, touching the bridge gingerly, wincing as he grimaced at the persistent throbbing at his temples.

"No." Keiko said shortly.

"Then wh--" Jack began, but Keiko cut him off.

"If I were trying to do anything, it would be much worse than just trying to break your nose." Keiko finished adding to her earlier answer. "It would be somewhere along the lines of ending your life prematurely."

"You might have some anger management issues, in case you didn't know." Jack told her in response to her none too subtle threat on his life.

"Oh, I know." Keiko told him angrily. "And I know the best way to resolve those issues would be to _get as far away from you as possible_."

There was a beat of silence.

"I think there may be a bit of tension between us--"

Keiko began searching the ground.

"--but I'm sure we can work it out and resolve our differences."

"Why are there no rocks?" Keiko asked aloud, feeling along the surface of the ground.

"I'm sensing a bit of hostility on your part." Jack ventured as Keiko attempted to murder him with her glare alone. He smiled nervously as he backed up a few paces to keep a bit of distance between them.

"Hostility? You want to see hostility?" Keiko questioned angrily, shifting her injured leg. She stiffened, her eyes clenching shut as she bent over her leg. Forgetting about Jack for the moment, Keiko clenched her fingers into the material of her pants of her injured leg as she willed the pain to stop.

"Very scary." Jack mocked from behind her. Keiko made a noise that expressed a mixture of exasperation and pain, but made no further attempt to respond. Jack approached her, his form blocking out the rays of the sun.

"Why?" Keiko asked quietly as the pain subsided into a dull ache, her grip relaxed as she slowly looked up at Jack. He opened his mouth, but closed it as he realized he wasn't quite sure what she meant by 'why.' Keiko didn't really expect an answer him. She decided to drop the subject.

"I'm done."

"Done? With what?" Jack asked, puzzled by her change in attitude.

"I don't care anymore." Keiko said in mild frustration, pulling up one leg to rest her cheek against her knee. "Just leave me alone."

"Tempting..." Jack commented as he tapped his chin with his index finger, watching the back of Keiko's head, but soon he shook his head. "But no can do."

"Then leave me at the nearest gas station like you promised." Keiko reminded him without moving.

"Again, tempting, but I have another idea." Jack smirked. "What do you say to--"

"No."

"I haven't... said anything!" Jack whined, his expression falling at her abrupt answer.

"Didn't I tell you?" Keiko straightened up, turning to glare at Jack as some of her anger returned. "I'm done! I don't want to get involve. I don't care anymore!"

"If you don't care, then it wouldn't matter if you--" Jack tried to reason, but Keiko cut him off.

"When I said 'I don't care,' let me clarify for you that I meant that I don't care to _help_ nor _associate_ myself with someone like you!" Keiko told him angrily. "You got it? Get it? Good!"

With that Keiko turned away from him, wrapping her arms around her left leg as she buried her face against her knee to show that she was done with the conversation. Jack stared at her for a moment, his own anger starting to rise. He opened his mouth, ready to retaliate against her response, but the words died off his tongue as he took a closer inspection on Keiko's current state.

She was shaking in the slightest and she was still sweating. Her skin was pallid and the collar of her jacket seemed to be darker in some places, mostly near the nape of her neck.

"Since when do I listen to little girls like you?" Jack asked, but there was no real heat behind his words. "You really do look like crap."

"Go away." Keiko repeated firmly. It was bad enough that she felt as as if her head was going to burst and that she were about to dry heave. The drugs still hadn't been flushed out of her system, but Keiko knew it was more than that as her vision began to blur.

"Why should I--" Jack began to argue, but he caught of something that stopped him in mid-sentence. A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Okay."

"Look, just--what?" Keiko looked at Jack in surprise. Suspicion immediately made itself known in her expression. "You're going to leave?"

"That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Jack reminded her.

"Yes, but... Really?" Keiko asked skeptically.

"Sure. On one condition. It's nothing much." Jack said quickly as Keiko's expression grew dark.

"What is it?" She asked with a frown.

"Stand up."

"What?" Keiko looked surprised at his odd request, but her body stiffened at the very thought. Her eyes darted to her ankle, then back at Jack.

"What?" Jack repeated, his eyebrow raising in surprise to her own. "You can't stand up?"

"No! It's not that." Keiko lied as her voice became softer. "It's just, why do you want me to stand up? What good will it do you?"

"Hey, it's my condition. You want me to leave or not?" Jack asked her irritably.

Jack rolled his eyes when Keiko looked at him, her expression showing that she was just about ready to cry or throttle him, most likely the latter. She closed them briefly as she took a deep, shuddering breath, looking down at her lap with a forced laugh ("No problem..."), but she continued to sit on the ground, motionless. A few seconds passed, stretching on for what seemed to be an eternity before Keiko clenched her eyes shut and began to move her injured leg.

"Hold on."

Keiko immediately stopped, letting out the breath she had been holding as she looked over at Jack. He was looking at her with an exasperated look on his face as he moved over to her.

"You're pathetic."

Keiko's eyes widened at his insult and quickly narrowed them as she opened her mouth to respond, but pain shooting from her ankle erased any coherent retort she might have told him.

"_Stop!_" She hissed in Japanese, forgetting for a moment who she was talking to and slapped his hands away as she jerked her entire leg from out of his reach.

"You can't even get up! There's something wrong with your foot." Jack tried to reason as he moved to pull at the cuff of her pants to get a better look, but his fingers brushed against the injury, causing Keiko to jerk away, her hand slapping at his in defense.

"Stop touching it, you sadist!" Keiko told him angrily.

"If you weren't such a klutz--" Jack began, but Keiko cut him off.

"Who do you think caused me to twist my ankle?" Keiko demanded angrily. "And who do you think has been dragging me around like a rag doll and making it worse?"

"Look, I've had my share of injuries that make yours look like boo-boos."

There was a long moment of a silence.

"Boo--" Keiko began to repeat slowly.

"Shut up!" Jack's faced burned with embarrassment. He quickly continued on. "I'm just saying, since I'm a guy with a lot more experience, it's not surprising how I have a high tolerance for pain compared to someone like yo--Ow!"

Keiko dropped her hand as she looked at Jack expectantly. He was clutching one hand to the ear Keiko had been twisting, causing him to end his last word on a yelp of pain.

"High tolerance for pain?" Keiko repeated in slight amusement.

"You caught me off guard--don't do it again!" Jack slapped Keiko's hand away when he saw her reaching for his ear again. Growing irritated by her reluctance to let him help, he pressed on. "Look, do you want to fix your foot or do you want to cut it off?"

"You're not a doctor." Keiko countered. "Why should I even let you near my ankle?"

"I'm more of a doctor than you are!" Jack retorted. "And I have a first-aid kit."

"Oh, a first-aid kit." Keiko said with flourish. "Now I can see how you could have gotten your PhD--Don't touch me!"

Jack ignored Keiko's protest, catching her off guard as he grabbed her leg by the knee and pulled it into his lap. Unable to do anything that wouldn't aggravate her injury, Keiko could only glare at him, but soon she couldn't even do that as she turned away, her eyes averted to her lap. She couldn't watch as his hands moved closer to her injury.

Jack was prepared for the worst as he could see a diagonal stain through the cuffs of her pants that hid her socks from view, pulling it up to reveal a stark brown-red stain through her white sock as well as a gash that started from her ankle to the top of her foot. He made a face at the injury, moving to pull off her shoe, but Keiko's sharp jerk told him that wouldn't be a wise move.

"Enough." Keiko said through clenched teeth. She moved away from him when he released her foot, holding her leg by her shin as she waited for the pain to subside.

"Your foot's swollen to twice it's size." Jack said incredulously, crossing his legs as he stared at her with wide eyes. "And you have a cut. What were you doing?"

"What do you think? Trying to keep up with a crazy..." Keiko trailed off, her anger fading as she fell silent. The memories from earlier flooding through her mind helped to increase the nausea and headache that continued to plague her.

Jack could see Keiko's sudden shift as her shoulders slumped and her hands fell limp. Getting to his feet he stood at her side.

"Let's go."

That was the only warning Keiko got before Jack put his hands around her lower back and under her knees. Keiko felt her apprehension increase when Jack's knees buckled under the weight and soon they were onto the ground, Jack on his back and Keiko sitting on his chest.

"Crushing... lungs..." Jack wheezed. Keiko shifted her body weight off him, sitting to the side of him as she stared at him in disbelief.

"What were you trying to do?"

"What did it look like I was doing?" Jack sat up, looking just as astonished as Keiko as he looked at the young girl with a raised brow. "Did that ankle add to your weight?"

"I think it's that you have the physique of an eighty year old." Keiko shot back, but despite her anger she felt self conscious and briefly looked down at herself.

"Coming from a girl who can't even walk on her own two feet." Jack mumbled, but he was slightly concerned about what just happened. He had been able to carry her before, hadn't he? Could it have been that he tripped on something?

"Maybe if a certain red-head didn't keep trying to kill her, she would be able to." Keiko countered angrily.

"Who? Wuya?" Jack asked innocently.

"I know I've said it before, but I don't think it'll hurt to say it again." Keiko said calmly. "Go away!"

"And leave you for dead? Don't think so." Jack told her flatly. He stood to his feet, dusting the dirt from his coat.

"Why do you care?" Keiko asked him quietly.

"I can't just abandon you out here," Jack admonished, but he soon dropped the act. "Look, I have a new deal--"

"If that's the case, I'm fine." Keiko cut him off, shaking her head.

"You didn't even hear me out." Jack whined, but Keiko shook her head firmly.

"I'm done with your bargains All I've gotten out of them was pain, pain, and more pain. I would have been better off back where I was."

"Rotting in a jail cell?" Jack retorted with a sneer.

"No. In a hospital bed." Keiko corrected him, but it gave her no satisfaction. Suddenly too tired to argue any further, she looked over at Jack, her gaze imploring him. "Please. Just leave me alone."

"Look," Jack began angrily, completely unaffected, "If it weren't for me you never would have known the truth so I think you owe me!"

"You're right." Keiko said, surprising Jack momentarily. "If it weren't for _you_ I wouldn't be here in the first place. I would have been safe and sound in my own apartment, sleeping in my own bed without having to put my life in danger. I wouldn't have become a wanted criminal, if it wasn't for you! But, yes, thank you for showing me the truth!"

"Well... I... You know... What can you do here? You'll die, being as useless as you are." Jack tried to shift the topic, but Keiko only flopped onto her back, turning away from him as she curled on her side. Realizing that Keiko truly was getting tired of their conversation, he quickly knelt down near her back. "You can't move on your own and Kimiko's gone."

She didn't want to admit it, but Jack was right. If she were left here she most likely would die. There was no way for her to move without seriously injuring her foot any further. It also stung when he brought up Kimiko, her very name pained Keiko to hear, but she wasn't about to let Jack Spicer know that. She knew that the only way to get anything done would be to swallow her pride and just bear with it.

"You're angry, aren't you?" Jack asked when Keiko wouldn't respond. "She didn't tell you anything and she probably never will. Don't you want to confront her? It hurts, doesn't it? Being left out of the big picture."

"I can help you find her if you help me." Jack sang out, leaning back onto his heels as he waited for her answer. "You can get back at her."

"You're not a friend of hers, are you?" Keiko asked even when she already knew the answer. His words and earlier questions were suspicious enough, but since the moment they had met Keiko had been sure that Kimiko would not associate with someone who would actually steal from her father's company, but she could have been wrong. After all, she had thought she had known Kimiko up until now.

"What makes you say that?" Jack asked with a nervous expression, his eyes darting away from hers.

"All right." Keiko accepted, surprising Jack. She was actually glad that he had been as adamant about persuading her. Without him, she would never be able to clear her name. Not on her own and despite the fact that she knew Jack was probably not going to hold up the end of his bargain, it would at least give her time to figure out how to clear her name. There had to be something she could use against him. Anything that would secure her reprieve. She knew he couldn't be trusted.

At least, not completely.

"Then it's a deal!" Jack said gleefully, standing to his feet as he reached down to grab Keiko by her arms, pulling her to her feet. "Let's go--"

"Hold on." Keiko, despite having only one functional foot and almost no strength left, she still managed to keep Jack from dragging her across the field. "I'll think about it, I'm not agreeing to anything right now."

"Whatever." Jack waved off as he stumbled back, still holding onto Keiko with one hand to keep both of them from falling to the ground. If she was willing to listen, he was already half way there.

"It does hurt." Keiko admitted as they began the painstakingly (more painful for one than the other) slow process across the field to the jet.

"Really?" Jack looked surprised at her confession, then a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Well, we can fix that. We'll make a plan so amazing (since you have _me_, Jack Spicer, evil boy genius, helping you) that will show her--"

"I meant my ankle."

"Oh." Jack paused. "We can fix that too."

* * *

Wuya was grinding her teeth together in irritation as she had one hand fisted at her hip while the other was pressed against her forehead. She had realized too late the consequences of her actions and now she was stuck with her questions. She removed her hand from her face, sighing as she glanced over at the two unconscious teenagers, one lying in the grass and the other by the black jet.

Debating what to do next, Wuya quickly made her decision as she made her way over to Jack's motionless form. If she knew anything about him, it was that he could take a beating. There was a possible chance that he could still be conscious and coherent enough to answer her questions.

Wuya stood over Jack, one hand at her hip as she used the Shen Gong Wu to prod him to consciousness.

"Get up, Jack."

When there was no response, Wuya growled and kicked him none too gently in the side to turn him onto his back. He merely rolled over, sprawled out on the ground. She bent over him, rapping her knuckles against his forehead smartly.

"Jack!"

There wasn't so much as a moan or even a small twitch. Wuya pulled back, frowning as she realized he was definitely out cold. Considering that he was in worse shape than usual, it made sense, but it didn't mean Wuya was going to be sympathetic about it.

"Useless boy." She murmured, turning away with an expression of disgust. There was only one other person there that could provide answers, but she doubted she would have any better luck. Even so, Wuya was still wary of the young girl and began moving towards her.

Wuya stood with her back to the sun, casting her shadow on Keiko's still form. Wuya felt the fine hairs at the back of her neck stand on end as she crouched down to inspect the girl. She was pale, sickly so and she was covered in dirt and sweat. Her body was almost completely still that Wuya could not tell if she were breathing, but somehow she knew the girl was very much alive. Her hair in disarray and her clothes in shambles, Wuya couldn't help but wonder how Kimiko could have known her or how Jack could have come across her. She reached out with a long, slender finger to touch her cheek.

Wuya stopped her hand just inches away from Keiko's face before pulling it away all together. She stood up slowly, looking down at Keiko with narrowed eyes, then at Jack from over her shoulder.

There was something strange about that girl, something almost familiar. Wuya did not recognize her, she had never met the girl and yet she struck something deep in her subconscious mind, something she may have forgotten long ago.

There was no doubt in her mind that this abnormality was what Hannibal was referring to, but as Wuya removed herself from the scene, she wasn't all too keen on informing him of the events that had just transpired. He had failed to mention very important key points, such as with the Shen Gong Wu, that is, if he did know it was bound to happen.

"Something troubling you, my dear?" A voice drawled from above her.

_Speak of the devil_, Wuya thought with little amusement.

Wuya looked up to find Hannibal on the Ying-Ying bird hovering a foot above her head. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed his presence. That fact had her scowling as she gripped the Shen Gong Wu tightly in her grasp. Was she really becoming weak by leaving so many openings? Had it really been too long since that her skills were beginning to deteriorate? Wasn't she the great Heylin witch that had battled Dashi over fifteen hundred years ago?

_Was is the key word, isn't it? _Wuya questioned herself bitterly before pulling away from her thoughts and back to the present.

"I see you've acquired a new Shen Gong Wu."

"I suppose." Wuya replied.

"Suppose?" Hannibal repeated. "What does that mean? You either do or you don't, it's not that hard of a question."

"For right now, it doesn't work, but it was a hour or so ago." Wuya snapped at him.

"Really?" Hannibal looked so genuinely surprised that Wuya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his expression. "How strange."

At Hannibal's choice of words, Wuya was reminded of something that continued to plague her mind. "The weapon."

Hannibal looked at her in surprise.

"The _Hollow_ you were talking about, have you found anything?"

"That would be my question to you, wouldn't it?" Hannibal returned, slightly irritated. "But I can say that malfunctioning of the Shen Gong Wu is starting to become a common thing."

"What do you mean?" Wuya asked sharply.

"Katnappé told me a story similar to--" Hannibal began to recount, but the Wuya interrupted him.

"Katnappé?" Wuya repeated incredulously. "You told her as well? Just how many are taking part of your elaborate plan?"

"Calm yourself, Wuya." Hannibal told her with a scowl. "She doesn't know anything, I just needed her for a little job."

"What kind of job?" Wuya asked skeptically.

"It's not necessary for you to know." He told her shortly as he sneered down at her.

_You are hiding something,_ Wuya thought to herself as she seethed quietly.As angry as she was by Hannibal's refusal to fill her in, she let it go. It would get her nowhere and it was a waste of energy.

"How did it," Hannibal paused as he thought of the word. "... break?"

Wuya took a moment to answer.

"When I encountered Jack." Wuya said slowly, wondering just how much she should reveal to him. "He also seemed to have an, accomplice you could say."

"Ah, yes." Hannibal nodded.

"You know of her?" Wuya questioned quickly.

"Not exactly, but Katnappé told me of her little scuffle and I did catch a glimpse of her." Hannibal smirked. "She may prove to be advantageous to our plan."

"Why is that?" Wuya asked with an air of disinterest as she looked at her nails, but she was intently focused on his answer.

"With the Spicer boy and Kimiko's friend occupying the dragons, they won't notice our movements."

"Is that so." Wuya said skeptically.

"Yes." Hannibal frowned. "Is there something wrong?"

"No." Wuya rushed, causing Hannibal to raise a brow in suspicion. She quickly changed the topic, "What about Chase?"

"He's a stubborn one, but I think he'll play right into our hands, whether he wants to or not." Hannibal grinned.

"These games of yours are getting far too complicated." Wuya told him quietly, her dark green eyes narrowing. "Do you not think you are taking things too lightly?"

"I assure you, the game is only beginning." Hannibal chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Wuya demanded, reaching to grab the bird from out of the air, but it anticipated the movement and gained altitude to avoid her attempt.

"In due time, my dear woman, in due time." Hannibal chuckled as the Ying-Ying bird flew higher into the sky. "You may want to return to Chase Young, he may start to become suspicious if you stay away for too long."

"Wait!" Wuya called after him, but the bird was already a black dot in the sky as it continued to distance itself from her. Frustrated, Wuya clenched her hands tightly at her side, her eyes narrowed into slits until only a glimmer of green could be seen.

_I can play this game, too._

_

* * *

_

"This is grave, indeed." Master Fung informed his students quietly.

Once Dojo had arrived at the temple, their first order of business was to inform Master Fung of the events that had transpired since they had left in search of one of the more recently activated Shen Gong Wu that was located in Japan, or at least, they had thought to be located in Japan. Omi was the one to volunteer to tell the entire story, with some help from Raimundo as he recounted the events to the best of his ability. Master Fung's face was an unreadable mask during the entire explanation, but the physical state of each monk did not go unnoticed by their teacher.

Omi ended with a deep bow of apology for their failure, but Master Fung shook his head.

"It was out of your control, do not let that weigh on your shoulders." He told them. They nodded reluctantly in response, but he could see the disappointment reflected through their eyes. "I have never heard of such an event, but I am even more surprised at you, Dojo."

"Me?" Dojo cried out in alarm, his eyes wide as he slithered to Master Fung's feet, clutching the material of his pants in his tiny claws. "What? Why?"

"Do not worry, that is not what I meant." Master Fung told the dragon in a soothing voice. "I meant to say, I am surprised that you could not figure out the problem."

"Well, I guess my senses could have gone on the fritz. I'm not as young as I use to be." Dojo admitted with a shrug.

"Perhaps something in the scrolls may be able to refresh your memory? If I recall, there may be an answer to our dilemma."

"As important as this sounds, could we take a break for a little while?" Raimundo asked sheepishly. "We only got a couple hours and were dead on our feet. Kimiko hasn't gotten any rest, so if not us, at least let her--"

"I'm fine." Kimiko interrupted, giving Raimundo a look of appreciation to soften her sharp tone. "I can stay up a few hours to help look through the scrolls."

"No, Raimundo is right." Raimundo blinked at Master Fung in surprise.

"I am?"

"Yes. For the body and mind to function properly, you will need to rest otherwise you will make mistakes that can prove to be fatal. Something that all of you can't afford as dragons in training."

"You hear that? I'm right!" Raimundo crowed. He quickly quieted down at a look Master Fung shot at him.

"However, time is short. Rest well, I will wake you in a few hours or if anything turns up."

Master Fung held out his hand to them and Kimiko pulled out the scroll, handing it to him. The warriors looked at one another in relief, bowing to Master Fung as they gave him their thanks before heading toward their respective 'rooms' in the temple. Once they were out of earshot, Master Fung looked at Dojo,. The dragon had climbed his way up to Master Fung's shoulders, hanging limply with eyes half-lidded.

"Are you sure this does not sound familiar to you, Dojo?" Master Fung pressed.

The small dragon blinked slowly at the question, raising his head in the slightest before letting it fall back to Master Fung's shoulder.

"Not really, but like I said, it's been fifteen hundred years. My memory's not exactly what it use to be." Dojo yawned as he stretched his tiny arms. "I'm no spring chicken, you know. Hm, chicken sounds good about now."

"Dojo."

"Right, well, maybe it is in one of the scrolls. Dashi might have written something about it in the Shen Gong Wu scroll, sort of like an instruction manual. Maybe there's a hot-line we can call." Dojo joked.

Master Fung ignored Dojo's attempt at humor as he opened the scroll. The picture that depicted the use of the Shen Gong Wu was currently dormant, glowing a soft blue as the black-ink dragon remained centered within the circle. Just as Master Fung was about to close the scroll, the picture moved. A flash of lightning split over the dragon, it's black jaws yawning wide in a silent roar as it disappeared into the scroll, leaving only the blue background swirling within the circle.

"I fear this may run deeper than a few missing Shen Gong Wu." Master Fung said quietly as he slowly closed the scroll. He looked to the dragon when there was no immediate response only to find Dojo snoring lightly on his shoulder. His eyes softening, he stroked the dragon's head with his index finger in a feather light touch.

He entered the temple, passing by the warrior's quarters, checking in on them one by one. He found all of them collapsed on their beds without putting the effort to pull the covers over them. He entered each room and tucked them in without waking them, ending with Omi last as he put Dojo to rest next to his head. He left the warriors with one last look before he made his way to find the other monks in the monastery.

* * *

As exhausted as Keiko was, she wouldn't allow herself to sleep. She was too frightened of what may await her in the depths of her subconscious mind. She no longer feared Jack Spicer as greatly as she had before now that she had a taste of what real fear. The strange woman's aggression and her name stuck out in Keiko's mind, but it wasn't Wuya that struck a chord deep inside Keiko's soul.

Keiko looked down at the floor, her vision blurring once more, due to tears or fatigue she wasn't sure, but soon she had her head between her knees and her shoulders were heaving with each breath she took.

_Why do I feel so sick? _Keiko thought miserably. She held a hand to her mouth, swallowing hard as her eyes clenched shut and her stomach continued to churn. She had hoped that her earlier heaving had gotten rid of most of the medicine, but some of it still seemed to linger in her body. It didn't help that she had not taken a bath since the night before and after what she had been through, she couldn't have been smelling very fresh.

"Hey, if you're going to be sick, you're going to clean it up." Jack warned. "And you'll be cleaning until the smell is completely gone."

Jack's brows furrowed together at the muffled response he received.

"What?"

"I guess the same goes for blood." Keiko straightened up in her seat, her hand lifting up to cover her face as light hit her eyes, making the pounding in her head worsen.

"You're bleeding on my jet?" Jack asked in horror. Not at the thought of her injuries, but at the thought of the stains on his precious aircraft, blood was one of the hardest to scrub out. He should know after so many beatings--or what he preferred to call them, 'mishaps.'

"No." Keiko shielded her eyes with one hand as she stared at the brown stain on her right foot. "I meant your blood."

"My blood?" Jack looked down his front hurriedly. Slowly he raised his gaze to look up at Keiko, his eyes narrowed. "I'm not bleeding!"

"_Yet_." Keiko threatened, leaning back over her knees as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"You can't even sit up for more than a second, you really think you should be making those kinds of comments?" Jack told her contemptuously. He gazed out the windshield. Their destination getting closer, Jack shifted in his seat as he began manipulating the controls, turning off the auto-pilot.

"You want to try me?" Keiko said sharply, turning her head to glare at him.

"As much as I want to fight a half-crippled little boy, I'm going to have to say no."

Keiko shot up as her arm whipped towards him, her finger tips just brushing against his shoulder, but soon she regretted the movement as pain racked through her body and her nausea increased three-fold. She doubled over the arm rest, moaning,

Jack looked at her out of the corner of his eye, grinning. "Besides, we're here."

Jack's words barely registered through her mind as Keiko fought the urge to purge herself all over the floor of his jet and possible on his boots. It wasn't that she remembered Jack's threat, she just didn't want to make herself look even worse in front of someone like him. She wanted to keep what little (if any) of her dignity she had left.

"Here?" Keiko repeated when her bout of nausea faded into minor discomfort that was bearable for the time being. She slowly pushed herself up by using the arm rest for leverage when she noticed that the jet was no longer moving and there was only silence there to greet her. She opened her eyes slowly. Her heart began to pound in her ears in alarm when she could see nothing.

_I'm... blind! _

Her breathing coming out in short ragged gasps, Keiko's hands went to her face. Feeling around her eyes as she started to become hysterical.

_I can't be blind... Was it the medicine? How long was I here? Did I pass ou--_

Something landed heavily on the jet, cutting off Keiko's train of thought and just nearly scaring what life she had left in her moments before a flash of light almost blinded her. The Japanese girl shut her eyes quickly, only getting a brief glance of a vague shape before she covered her face with a gasp.

"Too bright?"

Recognizing the voice, Keiko's hands pulled away from her face, waving them out in front of her.

"You!"

"Good imitation of a mime. Your box bit needs a little more work."

"You--" Keiko growled, her vocabulary had been getting significantly smaller ever since she had met the teenage thief.

Before she could think of anything more to add, she was grabbed by her wrists and hauled out of her seat. Carried by Jack, she felt a jolt as they landed on the ground after he had jumped off the aircraft. He set her down on her good foot and placed one of her hands on the wall so she could get her bearings. Keiko used her other hand to rub at her eyes that still stung, but she could now discern shapes and by what she could tell, they were in some sort of steel room.

"You can just sit down, Lucky for you I'm pretty lazy." A black and red shape told her, standing only a few feet away.

Confused, Keiko began to question him. "What do you--"

Her question was answered when her hand jerked across the wall and her legs gave out as the floor moved beneath her. Unprepared for the action, Keiko went crashing down on the ground, which was made of rubber rather than concrete or steel, but her forehead still throbbed as stars entered her vision. She lay on her side, her ear pressed to the shaking rubber where she could her the gears shifting and cranking as they were moved by the conveyor belt down the hall.

"Convenient, huh?"

"You could have warned me." Keiko shot at him, her vision finally clearing as she found him standing at her side with a grin spread across his face.

His grin faltered in the slightest, "Where would the fun in that be?"

Keiko grabbed the cuff of his pants, her eyes narrowed.

"Are you trying to--"

It was all Keiko could get out before the belt stopped abruptly, sending Keiko onto cool steel. Keiko jerked at the sudden stop and Jack managed to pull away as he stepped into his lab, spreading out his arms with a deep breath. Sighing heavily, Jack spun around once before looking at Keiko.

"Welcome to Jack Spicer's evil lair."

"You're lair is a storage room?"

Jack actually stumbled at her comment.

"Wh-what!" He shouted in indignation.

"The boxes and scraps of metal--"

"Works in progress!" Jack defended as he walked over to his work table. He slammed his hands down onto the surface, the knick knacks and tools bouncing up at the impact. "Look at this table! It has evil written all over it."

"You're right." Keiko agreed from the floor, tilting her head up to gaze at it as Jack grinned in triumph. "Why are your 'e's written backwards?"

"Backwards--No, I didn't mean literally!" Jack's face burned with embarrassment when he realized that he had indeed written the word 'evil' across the table in black sharpie a few times, but he quickly stood in front of it to hide it from her gaze. "I meant--"

However, Jack failed to notice the cardboard boxes that littered the ground and tripped right over them, sailing into a full box and effectively breaking whatever was inside it.

"Is that 's' written backwards too or are you trying to write '2'picer?"

Jack groaned as he pushed himself off the boxes he crushed, a hand massaging his head as he winced at the sound of shattered porcelain and glass clanking together noisily. He stumbled back as he surveyed the damage, his eyes widening at what he saw.

He now realized why Keiko called his lair a storage room as he caught sight of boxes among boxes all over his lab, a few with words scrawled across the side that indicated what room the items in the box belonged to. Infuriated by the realization that the presence of the boxes meant that someone had entered his lair without his permission, he jerked his gaze to the stairwell leading towards the upper level of his house.

With his focus directed at the steps, Jack jumped and crawled over boxes in order to get to the stairs, only now noticing the muffled noises coming from behind the door that was opened a crack. He grabbed the railing and stomped up the steps, his eyes narrowed and his teeth grinding together in irritation. His parents had probably put the boxes down in his lair to make room for _another_ party they were hosting. Their parties in itself were annoying, but he was truly angry at the fact that they had broken into his lair and invaded his privacy.

"Stupid cheap locks!" Jack snarled as he yanked the door open only to slam it shut, locking it firmly in place.

"Maybe it's not the lock that's the problem."

Jack turned to glare at Keiko from the staircase, leaning against the railing as he shook a fist at her.

"You want to be on my list too?"

"I didn't say anything!" Keiko looked up at him in bewilderment, still sitting on the floor where he left her.

"What?" Jack blinked down at her with a frown as he started to climb back down the steps. "I just heard you--"

"You forgot to lock the door, genius."

Jack had been watching Keiko the entire time when those words were said. Her mouth didn't move at all and Jack stiffened when he recognized the voice.

"No. Not--" Jack's eyes widened.

"--You." Keiko finished in a whisper.

* * *

**AN:** A bit short. Well I'm listening to the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack right now. I'm really tired and sorry for lack of Xiaonlin warriors, next chapter will have more of them. I also apologize for the bad editing, I really should have someone beta read for me or something, I get so lazy at the end. I hope this chapter wasn't too horrible :x Sorry, it's a bit shorter compared to my more recent chapters, but maybe this way is better :3 


	12. Party Crashers

**AN:** I'm really not sure if I'm going to finish this. I'd like to, but I'd also like to make money and pass school to get a good job :x I'll try my best, but at present I am really stressed out. Right now I'm just listening to music, my only solace in the waking world :x I'm so dramatic! Oh yeah and running, but I run as fast as a three legged cow, so it's not exactly a graceful image of me... stop imaging it! Anyway, I'm going to say that my updates will be monthly now, so really, you've all been lucky to have me update as frequently as I **had**. If you really want me to finish this story, I suggest you e-mail me or review with reminders/encouragement otherwise I might be too burnt out to even consider what to write for the next chapter. Really, I have the whole story planned out but the chapters just get all mangled when I go into the intricate details, you know how it is :x

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**Thanks** to **Kitty**, I'm always happy to hear that my story is well received and well, you're close to what Keiko has. She does have _something_ that may give her a bit an advantage or disadvantage later on in the story. Thank you to **unknown**, I'm going to hold you to your word that you don't mind waiting, because you maybe waiting a long time :x I'm glad your understanding of my situation, I'll try my best to finish it, but if I don't you can always e-mail to ask how it ends ;) just kidding, haha. Thank you to **krystalmaze**, you say it's confusing, but you seem to understand the story very well! You're very perceptive or a good guesser. Either way works :) And a really big thank you to **RicepaperDoll**. Really, your review blew me away, I loved it so much. As for your e-mail and your picture? It really had me smiling. I was really happy with the things you typed and I'm also very glad that you really like Keiko's character, enough to draw a picture of her! Thank you **Egglette**, yes, I know, the last chapter was really lame. I'm not a very good author/fanfic writer as I knew that chapter could have been fixed, but instead I just threw it out anyway. Too much stress and all, my heart just wasn't in it,. Hopefully this one is better. Funny thing, I attempted to see Dead Man's Chest at least three times with a few others, but every time our plans went down the drain so I just gave up. I took it as a sign that I was not meant to see it in theatres a second time D: Darn it. At least there's the third one to look forward to and now that I took _so long writing this chapter_ I can go get the DVD... eventually :D Thank you to **sianypie**, it makes me laugh to see someone call this story 'fabulous,' I like that word. Sorry, personal reasons and due to the fact that I'm easily amused. Thank you to **Rei4**, I'm glad you like how I portray Keiko and her strange relationship with Jack. Thank you to **AGodofIrony**, I'm really glad this is one of your favorite XS stories and well, I have plenty of invisible Omi dolls, as well as all the other characters, in fact, I'm trying to get rid of them! Now, if you had a doll of say... well, let's not get into that :) Just kidding! Thank you to **Background Bailey**, I can completely understand your reluctance with OC stories, that's how I feel as well, not to say that my story isn't poorly written. I get very lazy when it comes to editing, so I'm pretty sure I'll always have grammar and spelling mistakes, thanks to everyone for bearing with me on that :) I'm glad you like it, I really do try to keep them in character as possible, but lately I haven't watched the show so I may be off on this chapter and chapters to come. Jack is pretty fun to write and for various other reasons, I chose to have more of a focus on him, but hopefully I can give everyone some limelight! Thank you to **Death-by-candy**, I always love to hear when someone enjoys my story enough to favorite it! I'm honored by your comments, I'm glad you enjoy Keiko and she's actually the easiest to write since she's from my own imagination for the most part. I'm glad you find her entertaining, as well as my humor. I like to make people smile, so I'm glad my attempt at making you laugh doesn't fall too flat (most of the time, right?), haha. Don't worry, Keiko can handle it. I think...

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Anyway, I've been very stressed out as of late so again, thank you all for waiting so patiently for this chapter. I haven't given up on it yet, but there will be times when I'm just too upset that I can't even form a single coherent sentence, sorry about that D: But I'm stable for the time being, so let's just have fun here! Yay!

Sorry for the long wait!

**Additional AN: **Shameless self-plug, I'm starting a new story in the section of **Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends**. Hopefully, it'll be up soon, but I'll have my own original characters (not confusing like Keiko :x) and well, if you enjoy that show you might want to give my story a look-see! Or maybe you love my writing style so much (haha, yeah right!) that you'll be curious enough to take a chance with it! Either way, I hope this chapter is to your liking :)

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

**Party Crashers**

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**Dedication to **

**_RicepaperDoll_**

--as a REALLY LATE birthday present. I would like to thank her for her encouraging e-mails and the artwork she drew for my story, thank you so much! I hope this chapter isn't too horrible :x

**Barbara**

For her lovely fanart and e-mail :)

**Background Bailey**

For helping me discover the Fanfiction dot net PMs and as for your question, if you haven't figured it out already, I think you just upload your file and go to edit and one of those buttons should provide what you need :)

And for course to everyone who reviewed since my last update and those who have been waiting very patiently for this next chapter! I really hope you all enjoy!

* * *

"No, no, _no_!" Jack hollered with great fervor, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He slammed them on the table before sharply pointing at the staircase with one hand. "Get out, out, **_out_**!"

"Is there an echo in here?" Katnappé stepped out of the shadows, a smirk playing on her face as the light reflected off her dark eyes, her pupils dilating to give her an eerie apperance. "You don't look happy to see me."

"Who'd be happy to find an unwanted pest in their sanctuary?" Jack dramatized as he waved his arms to gesture towards his lair.

"Sanctuary?" The blonde girl scoffed, placing one hand on her hip as she gave the room a once over. "Then again it makes sense for a rodent like you to crawl under a rock into this hole in the ground."

"Rodent? You should look in a mirror sometime you overgrown--" Jack stopped abruptly. "Seriously, you should look in the mirror."

She made a face at him as she eyed him up and down. "That's my line."

"You're not wearing your outfit." Jack astutely observed as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, duh. I can see why they call you an evil genius--oh wait." Ashley pretended to look surprised. "They _don't_, do they?"

"They do! Sometimes! I think..." Jack trailed off as he began to recount the times that someone, other than himself, had actually referred to him as an evil genius. "There was that... no... Or maybe--no that was me again..."

Ashley shook her head, turning away from him in disgust. It was an honest miracle of how he had come so far without being killed or converted from this 'lifestyle.'

It took Ashley a moment to realize that there was another member participating in their little meeting. Her lips formed a smile as hers eyes brightened as her gaze focused on Keiko. She took a step towards the girl.

Keiko sat on the floor, her posture rigid. She could only stare at the blonde teenager with a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and slowly rising anger. The same clothes, the same hair, the same _eyes_... How could she not have realized it earlier?

"You--" Keiko voice rang out shrilly, but that was all that was allowed to pass from her lips as an _orange_, of all things, was pelted directly at her face. Too dazed to react, Keiko's head actually snapped back as the fruit hit her forehead dead on.

"Hungry?" Ashley questioned, her hand still positioned at the release of her throw.

Jack had ended his ramblings, staring at the scene in befuddlement. He looked at Ashley in disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You hungry too?" Ashley looked at him sharply. "I saved the bigger fruits for you. You are a growing boy after all."

"She's already bleeding on my floor, now you're going to start a fruit salad down here?" Jack ignored the threat as he picked up the orange that had rolled away from Keiko. "Where the hell did you get this anyway?"

"The party." Ashley told him shortly as she walked over to the dazed girl. Keiko was slowly pushing herself back up, gingerly touching the spot that the orange had hit her. She yelped as she was pulled up onto her feet, stumbling to find balance as she managed to keep weight off her injured foot. Ashley let Keiko cling to her arm as she pulled her over to the bathroom Jack had built for his own personal use while he hauled himself up in his basement for hours at a time, even days if his parents had allowed it.

"I just saw you in Japan, how can you come here for a party? I thought you hated them." Jack said furiously, his ire raising at the reminder of his parents hosting another party he was neither aware of nor happy about.

"Unlike you, I do have an image that I have to maintain." Ashley unceremoniously shoved Keiko into the bathroom, watching as the young Japanese girl fell onto the sink, clutching on to the porcelain rim to keep from collapsing onto the floor, or worse, falling into the toilet bowl. Then Ashley looked at Jack and held his gaze firmly.

"I'm still Ashley, daughter of well-to-do parents who are invited to parties hosted by those of the affluent community with reputable reputations to uphold and right now, that's exactly what I'm doing."

Jack snorted.

"You, on the other hand, are Jack Spicer, the strange and questionable son of the prosperous Spicer clan that puts your family's _good_ name to question because you are often absent and the key definition of the words 'weird' and, of course we shouldn't forget to mention, 'loser.'"

Ashley gave Jack one last smug smile at the stunned look on his face. Without waiting for a response she slammed the door shut.

The two girls isolated in the small bathroom that barely held enough room to hold three people were silent, both for entirely different reasons. Ashley fixed Keiko with a hard look, her eyes reflecting every bit of intelligence and less than trustworthy intentions that she held, but Keiko refused to return her gaze, already knowing she had been duped once and would continue to be in the future at the rate things were progressing.

It wasn't long before the tension was broken by the sounds of Jack's muffled voice and the pounding against the bathroom door, but neither bothered to look or answer his enraged demands.

Keiko winced with every hit against the door, the noise amplified as the banging reverberated off the walls within the small bathroom. She made a conscience effort to keep her head up and her eyes open, refusing to show weakness in front of the thief that helped to turn her life upside down. She glanced at the porcelain sink, longing to rest her burning forehead against the cool surface to help ease the pain.

Splash.

Keiko jolted, slamming her head against the wall as ice cold water dripped down her face, and unfortunately up her nose. She snorted in an un-ladylike manner, coughing in order to control her breathing as she simultaneously tried to dry her face, smudging more dirt across her face as well as rub the back of her head. The water was momentarily refreshing, but the effects were canceled out as she was struggling to breathe as well as stem the pain coming from her noggin.

Splash. Splash.

"Stop it!" Keiko choked out, realizing Ashley was the one responsible.

_As if it could have been anyone else_, Keiko thought to herself, scowling as she finally managed to clear the water from her eyes to reward the blonde girl with the nastiest glare she could muster.

"Just trying to see if there was a face under all of that." Ashley smirked, flicking the remnants of water off her fingers at the glare she was receiving. "You must be desperate for a shower."

Keiko continued to glare at Ashley; she wasn't going to give her any satisfaction by responding to her bait.

"You may want to set in a new wardrobe, but you do pull off the 'dirty alley cat' look very well." Ashley gestured to Keiko's swollen foot. "Look, you even have a nice wound to accentuate your appearance."

Keiko's fingers twitched, but she quickly covered it by raking them through her mess of hair.

Bad idea.

"Oh, and of course we can't forget about the hair." Ashley gave a toothy grin when she saw Keiko stiffen. "I guess you do look best as a boy. Such a pretty boy, too. I'm sure Jack won't be too pleased to find out that he has competition for most feminine guy around."

"_I heard that_." Jack screamed from the other side of the door, his pounding growing more insistent as Ashley's laughter pervaded through the cracks of the door. "_Get the hell out of there you mangy fur-ball--_"

**Bam**.

Ashley's laughter was cut short and there was a muffled string of curses, but the noise was efficiently cut off. The blonde girl glanced over at Keiko who still had her arm outstretched; one of her shoes lay at the foot of the door, a small mark tarnishing the paint on the wood.

"Kitty still has claws, huh?" Ashley said with some amusement, but she actually was impressed. The girl still had enough energy to give a decent throw after all that she had been through.

"Just..." Keiko let out a frustrated sigh, unable to finish her own request as she slowly pulled herself back into a more comfortable sitting position, resting her back against the wall as the energy seemed to drain out of her.

"Just?" Ashley repeated teasingly. "Just what?"

Keiko looked at her sharply, her eyes narrowed into slits. Ashley's smile widened.

"What? Are you going to cry?" Ashley prodded. "Going to throw a tantrum, little boy?"

"I would." Keiko said angrily, reaching for her other shoe. A sharp cry escaped her lips the moment her fingers brushed against her injury, but she continued to pull off her shoe,. She was rewarded by the sharp pains shooting through her foot and entire right side. Aggravating the injury opened up the cut along the top of her foot, sending blood onto the floor. Ashley stepped back in surprise.

"Hey..." She began slowly, a hint of concern working its way into her voice. It wasn't out of concern, she quickly reminded herself as she hardened her gaze. If the girl passed out from blood loss, it'd just cause more problems for her, that was all.

"I do want to cry, but what will that do?" Keiko said sharply, letting out a sharp gasp as she managed to remove the shoe, slamming it against the door to join its counterpart. She ripped off the mangled and blood stained sock as well, looking down at the wound in disgust as tears fell from her eyes. "And I am crying now, damn it."

"I can't even stop myself from crying, but what does it matter? I look like I've been used as someone's piñata, whatever's left to preserve of my self-image." Keiko cried, wiping at her eyes furiously to keep her vision from blurring. "I don't even care anymore, my life is a complete mess and it's not even worth cleaning up."

"You are a complete mess."

Keiko jerked her head to look up at Ashley, expecting another onslaught of insults, but she was surprised to find the blonde girl kneeling beside her. Frightened by the close proximity to a dangerous criminal, Keiko tried to move away, but Ashley had gripped her foot, stilling the Japanese girl's movements at once. Keiko watched as Ashley studied her injury, a slight stab of pain shooting up her leg from the firm hold.

"It's superficial. Just get yourself cleaned up and we can dress it."

Keiko felt herself breathing easier once Ashley had let go of her foot, but suspicion immediately filled her eyes, her mouth pressing into a thin line as she let the other girls words sink in.

"What?" She asked slowly.

"Why do you think I dragged you in here?" Ashley rolled her eye as she sat back on her heels before pushing herself up onto her feet. She then leaned forward, holding out her hands to Keiko. "I know you can't get in there yourself."

Keiko stared at her in disbelief. Ashley felt her ire rising.

"I'll fix your hair too, I'm not completely inhumane." Ashley snapped.

_Could have fooled me,_ Keiko thought to herself but she found herself taking Ashley's hand.

"I'm a girl too." Ashley supplied as she set Keiko to sit on the edge of the bath tub. "I understand how awful you must be feeling, but you have to understand, you were interfering with _my_ job. You were an obstacle then, but right now there's no threat. No hard feelings, right?"

Keiko gave her a dry look.

"I don't have anything to wear." Keiko told Ashley instead, frowning deeply.

"I've got that covered. You just concentrate on convincing me that there's something worth salvaging under all of that." Ashley teased as she gestured to Keiko's current state.

Keiko scowled, not in the mood to tolerate even the light jab. Ashley frowned at the slightly hostile countenance and held up her hands defensively.

"Look, do you want to be clean or not?"

Keiko gave Ashley a calculating look, her eyes narrowed, appearing as if they were almost shut with all the dirt and blood caked on her face. She reluctantly nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back in a bit,. Sound good?"

Without waiting for a response, Ashley turned toward the door before giving Keiko one last glance over her shoulder. The blonde girl gave Keiko a small smile, one that caught the other off guard. There was no malice or false pretense behind it. It was merely a smile. Keiko felt a slight stab of guilt as she watched Ashley place her hand on the door knob, then at the bag holding the clothes and temporary truce she was offering with it.

"Thank you." Keiko said in a rush, almost inaudible to the other girl, but she heard it.

Ashley paused, and then she looked over her shoulder and offered Keiko another earnest smile.

**Bang!**

Ashley and Keiko looked at the door in alarm as the wood shook on its hinges. A moment passed before Ashley cautiously pulled the door open. She pulled her foot away just as Jack's head fell onto the floor in the doorway, his eyes glazed over with pain.

"What..." Ashley shook her head as she guessed what Jack had tried to do. She made sure to kick him hard in the shoulder he had tried to use to break down the door, sending him skidding across the room howling with pain. "You idiot!"

Keiko winced as the door slammed shut, followed by more yelling and shouting as she could only guess to be the start of another argument. She glanced at the injury once more, wincing at the blood dripping on the floor and the stain that it would result in if it wasn't cleaned soon. But then again, what should she care if she stained the floor of the criminal that had ruined her life? Let it be a reminder to him of the absolute _horror_ he had wrought on her life.

Sitting on the edge of the bath tub, Keiko managed to get a glimpse of herself in the mirror, grimacing at the image she saw. With one last sigh, she un-zipped her jacket, shrugging it onto the floor.

* * *

"Just what the hell is your problem?" Jack slammed his open palms onto his lab table angrily.

"My problem? I have no problem." Ashley said smoothly, her high heels placed on top of the table, her ankles crossed as she tilted her chair back slightly, casually filing her nails. She blew on them lightly before raising them to the light, studying their lengths carefully. "You, on the other hand, have a number of problems that I can't even begin to explain."

"What business do you have here, you stupid alley cat?" Jack snarled, making to sweep her feet from the tables surface, but Ashley was faster as she lifted them up to avoid his hand only to slam them back down to crush the back of his hand. He let out a shout of pain, writhing on the table as he fell forward.

"That's none of your concern, robo-dweeb." Ashley told him shortly.

"If... you're in... here... then... it is..." Jack whimpered as he attempted to take back his hand. Ashley merely dug her heel deeper, earning another cry of pain. She smirked in satisfaction before she removed her foot, watching with amusement as he retracted it quickly, blowing on the welt in an attempt to ease the pain.

"As much as I _don't care_ about being in your sad excuse of a lair, I do find it interesting to find you with this girl even after our encounter." Ashley fixed Jack with her dark eyes, narrowing them in the slightest. "What's so interesting about your new boyfriend, Jackie?"

"As if I'd tell you." Jack scoffed, the pain fading along with the memory of who had given the injury as his cocky attitude was back in place. He crossed his arms over his chest, sneering at her from across the table. "And that joke's getting old real fast."

"No. I suppose you wouldn't tell me that she's Kimiko's friend that could give you a possible advantage over her, would you?" Ashley told him with a shrug as she leaned back in her chair, resuming her filing.

"You got that right, sister--What?" Jack's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"As if I'd tell you." Ashley mimicked him, her lips stretching into a thin smile. "You're the evil genius, aren't you? Figure it out yourself."

Jack glowered at the response, his arms dropping to his sides. "It would have been obvious to any idiot..."

"It _was_ obvious to any idiot." Ashley agreed, flexing her fingers as she viewed her nails critically. "Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to pick it up."

"Hey!" Jack shouted, but Ashley swept her legs back onto the floor, pushing out the chair she had been sitting on sharply, scrapping the metal chair across the hard concrete floor. He winced as the noise reverberated within the room before opening his mouth to attack Ashley once more, but the tightening of his collar around his neck cut off any verbal assault he had ready to throw at her.

"Let's go, dweeb. You need to make yourself presentable for your own shindig and the only bathroom here is currently occupied."

Jack could only choke out his feelings of indignation in incomprehensible gurgles as he was dragged across the basement floor and up the steps, barely able to keep up as Ashley jerked him along behind her.

"Come on, keep up will you? Do you really think your parents will be happy if their guests saw you walking around like you just came back from a dumpster dive?"

Ashley grinned at him over her shoulder as he could only struggle to keep up and grab at the collar, struggling to loosen her gript.

Jack felt his face paled, either because of his anger or the fact that his blood circulation was being cut off. In either case, he wasn't about to let this blonde, over-sized fur ball drag him around like a dead rat. Before he could take action, however, Ashley had swung him around, causing him to stumble to one side, hopping on one foot in a desperate attempt to keep his balance. The only relief he found was that Ashley had let go of his collar and he sucked in a huge gulp of air, one gloved hand rubbing the reddening area of skin.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Jack shouted, but Ashley had slapped a hand over his mouth, her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the hallway quickly before fixing him with a dark glare.

"I told you, you need to get cleaned up and the bathroom in your basement is occupied." She rolled her eyes before grabbing his wrist roughly and dragged him towards the staircase that led to the second level of the house.

"This coming from the fur ball that considers licking themselves a bath?" Jack taunted as he struggled against her hold, but he knew it was futile. Ashley, though she didn't look it, was incredibly strong for a girl her age and it didn't help that Jack wasn't as strong as a boy his age should be, not that he'd admit to it.

They stopped abruptly in front of a door, causing Jack to stumble into her. He immediately jumped back, his arms held up defensively.

"What? You want to fight?" His words were brave, but a light sweat began to break out on his skin as Ashley turned to him slowly, her eyes narrowed into slits, looking every bit like a cat who's tail had been pulled one too many times.

Instead, she smiled at him.

That expression sent chills down his spine as he backed away a few more steps, sweat rolling down his neck as he swallowed hard.

"I'm just looking out for you, Jackie." Ashley said quietly.

Jack gave her a strange look, but before he could even think of response, Ashley began walking away.

"Wha... wait!"

"Hurry up." She called back at him as she eyed the door to her right, opening it quickly before nodding. She looked at Jack as he came up beside her and grabbed his arm to push him into the bathroom. "We don't have all day you know!"

"Quit shoving--" Jack snapped just as the door was slammed on his face. He scowled as it barely missed breaking it as he stumbled back to avoid it.

"Bitch..." Jack mumbled as he turned to the mirror. He cringed when a response seeped in through the cracks of the door.

"I _heard_ that."

* * *

Usually Raimundo would be the last to wake out of the four, but it seemed today would be an exception as he reluctantly sat up on his bed spread. His eyes remained closed, refusing to open as he let out a wide yawn, stretching his arms above his head before scratching the top of his head. He moaned as he placed one hand over his face, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to cox them open. He was met with almost complete darkness causing him to panic momentarily as he wondered why his eyes still refused to open.

Scrambling onto his hands and knees, he attempted to crawl out of his section of the room, trying to be as quiet and calm as possible for the sake of the others.

"Ow! What the h--"

Raimundo had placed his hand on his soccer ball, slipping on the unstable surface and was sent crashing onto his shoulder as he sent the ball flying through his 'wall' right into Clay's 'room.'

"What in tarnation?"

Raimundo winced through the pain, rubbing his shoulder as he sat up. In the darkness he could hear Clay shifting, mumbling under his breath.

The soccer ball itself didn't cause Clay any damage directly, but his room being just as messy as Raimundo's, it's easy to cause a disaster with just a slight misplacement and the right amount of pressure to certain objects. Unfortunately, the certain object that happened to be placed so precariously close to Clay was his plaque sporting two giant horns. The ball shot through the barrier between Clay and Raimundo's room, hitting the trunk that sat on the side of Clay's bed, shaking the contents that held various objects, including a box that sat half way on the trunk, full of contents sent from his home in Texas that he had riffled through earlier, but had been too busy to really organize as of late.

One of the objects in the box that was perched half way over the edge of the trunk was the plaque.

Clay yelped as the force of the soccer ball tipped the box over, the plaque stabbing into his thigh, not enough to puncture the skin, but more than enough to work as some sort of crude alarm system. He tossed the plaque aside in favor of checking his injured leg only to have it break through the barrier between his room and Omi's.

Luckily, the plaque that was almost as large as Omi missed him, but Dojo wasn't so fortunate. The plaque landed on about three inches of his body, his tail taking most of the impact. He awakened with a yelp, sleeping near Omi's ear and scaring the poor boy in a rude awakening to reality. If that wasn't enough, Dojo was digging his tiny, but very sharp claws into Omi's arm as he writhed in pain, causing Omi to shout in response and yank his arm away, pulling Dojo from under the plaque and rolling until they both hit the wall.

"Oh man." Raimundo moaned quietly, hearing all the commotion that took place in a span of ten seconds. He looked nervously over to Kimiko's side of the room. He prayed the very one who needed to rest the most hadn't awakened and mentally cursing the call of nature that started the whole mess in the first place.

In that moment, Raimundo was up on his feet as he hurried toward the direction that he thought the window was and felt along the wall. He made a sound of triumph as he felt the wooden doors that blocked out the sun over the window and opened the one that would bring light to the side of the room fathest away from Kimiko.

"Guys, guys! Keep it down!"

They merely moaned or grunted in response, but soon the room was quiet. Raimundo quickly edged over to Kimiko's quarters, peeking in. He could make out a small lump under a fluffy comforter. He stiffened as he saw her shift under her blankets, but soon she stilled and Raimundo let out the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. He crept away, only to jump in surprise when he saw something large and blue out of the corner of his eyes.

"Still asleep?" Clay asked, wearing his hat and blue pajamas. Raimundo nodded shortly, his hand clutching the material of his pajamas over his heart as he willed it to slow down.

"What on earth were you kids trying to do? Kill me?" Dojo hissed from Omi's shoulder as the small boy stumbled towards them. Clay grabbed Omi's arm as he began to tilt to one side, helping him to maintain his balance.

"Oh, thank you Clay." Omi slurred as he placed his hands on his face, rubbing his eyes as he shook off the last hit he took from the wall.

"My bad." Raimundo offered an apology as he placed a hand on the back of his head, running his hand through his hair with a sheepish look on his face. He quickly dropped the look as he glanced towards Kimiko's quarters, a serious look gracing his face as he turned to the others. "Kimiko's still asleep, let's try to keep it down, okay?"

The looks he received in response to his request had him stepping back.

Scratch. Scratch.

"I meant from now on." Raimundo specified with a nervous smile.

Scratch. Scratch.

"As long as we're up we might as well head out to the kitchen for a bite to eat." Clay said as he stretched his large arms high above his head, his mouth opening wide to let out a jaw cracking yawn.

Scratch. Scratch.

"That is an excellent suggestion, Clay." Omi nodded. "We will need sustenance to fuel ourselves with energy in order to prepare for the arduous training that we have to make up for."

Scratch. Scratch.

"I really didn't mean..." Clay trailed off.

"What is that noise?" Raimundo snapped in a raised whisper.

The continuous scratching paused momentarily, before starting up again near Omi's feet. The boys glanced down in mild annoyance to find the small dragon raking his sharp claws up and down his back, scales littering the floor as they flaked off due to his violent scratching.

"Woah, hold on there lil' buddy." Clay said in alarm as he knelt down and stilled Dojo's tiny claws. "You're about to cut right through that hide of yours."

"Please!" Dojo snorted, pulling his claws away. "I'm a _dragon_. Our bodies are protected with skin much more durable that the paper thin one covering your bodies!"

"No need to get upset, Dojo." Clay frowned.

"Well, wouldn't you be upset at someone who was keeping you from scratching when it feels like your _whole_ _body is on fire?!_" The dragon all but cried out the last few words as he began dragging his body across the wooden floor in a desperate attempt to ease the burning ache.

"Hold on." Raimundo knelt down next to Clay and grabbed Dojo by the tail to keep him from straying too far. "Does this mean a new Shen Gong Wu's revealed itself?"

"No, it's my allergic reaction to the arrival of the sugar fairy princess." Dojo grouched, struggling to remove himself from Raimundo's grasp. "What do you think?!"

"Omi, get the scroll!" Raimundo said excitedly as he grabbed the small dragon and began rubbing his back. Dojo immediately relaxed in his hold, making sounds of appreciation.

"Why do _you_ not retrieve the scroll?" Omi frowned, still a bit angry from his early rude awakening and the fact that Raimundo was giving him orders.

"Do you want to lose the Shen Gong Wu? You're wasting valuable time!" Raimundo hissed out dramatically. The younger boy's brows furrowed together in displeasure, but soon he was out the door.

Clay looked over at Raimundo, an eyebrow raised passed the rim of his hat.

"Anything to avoid training, huh?" Clay guessed.

"No." Raimundo grinned. "Chores."

* * *

Despite the fact that Jack seemed to take his physical appearance more seriously than the average guy, he still managed to get cleaned up in a matter of ten minutes. It was also probably due to the fact that the combination of water and soap burned his cuts and the slightest of pressure on his bruises made him grit his teeth in pain.

That didn't mean he was a_ wimp_ or anything...

If you had bruises up the Yin-Yang, you'd be in cringing too.

_Yin Yang_, Jack thought to himself as he pulled on a new trench coat with a grimace as the material rubbed against his injuries. He cracked a smile at his reflection in the mirror. _A little Xiaolin humor. Inside joke..._

Obviously delirious from the pain and lack of sleep, Jack had himself easily amused (as if that wasn't easy enough). He did take time to wash out his hair, but didn't bother to use gel or any hair products, letting it flop over the band of his goggles to dry. He adjusted his collar before nodding his head at his reflection, winking in another attempt to amuse himself before exiting the bathroom.

Looking up and down the hallway, he slowly crept out. He remembered Ashley's words and could only scowl at the memory.

"Why should I care about what they think?" He murmured to himself angrily as he avoided any guests and social groups he could see and hear from a distance. He made a beeline to his basement, fully intent on locking himself to either work on a new project or make a new plan on how to approach his dream of world domination, all the while waiting for a new Shen Gong Wu to reveal itself. He patted his wrist, pausing as he realized something seemed to be missing, but before he could speculate on it, he found himself closing in on the entrance to his basement.

As well as Ashley who was slowly emerging from the room, closing the door carefully.

"What are you doing?" He frowned. He had expected to see her mingling among the guests, putting up her social butterfly facade and bad mouthing him further among the friends and acquaintances of his parents.

Ashley turned around sharply, slamming the basement door shut behind her.

"What's it to you?" She countered angrily, dropping her arms and shaking them out briefly from the sudden strain she had put on her muscles.

"It's _my house_." Jack hissed angrily at her insolent tone.

"You don't pay the bills, mamma's boy." She sneered. "What are you doing? I told you to go mingle."

"You don't give Jack Spicer orders--" Jack retorted, his voice rising in volume, but Ashley slapped a hand on his mouth, swung him around by the collar of his jacket that she gripped with her other hand and slammed him against the wall next to the door frame. Stars formed in his line of vision and tears leaked from the corners of his eyes.

"I may not have my claws, Jack," Ashley leaned in close so that her mouth was next to his ear. She tightened her grip on his collar, pressing the material around his neck. "But I don't need them to deal with you."

"Remember that." Ashley said quietly as she pulled back, shoving him aside.

Jack stumbled away, rubbing his neck with one hand while using the other to press against the wall to keep his balance. He glared at her through tear-filled eyes, trying to control his coughing, but Ashley was already moving, grabbing one of his arms and dragging him along with her.

Click. Click.

Jack scowled as he managed to get his breathing under control. Even as some part of him rebelled and was disgusted at the idea of her kicking him around like some sort of servant, another much more realistic part of him realized that refusing her would only bring him more pain. He rubbed his free hand over his neck once more, wincing as it pained him to swallow and how light-headed he seemed to feel. It was almost as if his feet weren't touching the ground and that Ashley was literally dragging him along like some sort of balloon.

Click. Click.

His eyebrows furrowed together as he caught a faint, continuous clicking sound, but before he could inquire to what it was or even locate the source of the noise Ashley had stopped them from stumbling into the heart of the party. She turned to him with a sly look then nodded her head towards his parents that stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by guests.

Jack tried to pull out of her grasp, horrified at her silent suggestion to go to his parents. He froze when their eyes settled on him and began to sweat, praying they wouldn't make their way over. To his relief, his father merely nodded at him while his mother gave him a warm smile and a wave before returning to their guests.

The relief he felt must have been apparent on his face because Ashley was giggling quietly. He was glad his parents didn't come and put him under the spotlight that he didn't care what her reaction was, but soon they were moving through the crowd and back up the steps he had just come down from the bathroom.

"What are you--" Jack frowned, but Ashley yanked on his arm, causing him to break off in his question and stumble to keep from being, literally, dragged up the steps.

"Just shut up and tell me where your room is." Ashley commanded as they reached the top of the staircase, shoving him forward so that he stood in front of her.

"What?" He whirled around on her, his eyes wide. "Why?"

"Do I have to give you another lesson?" Ashley asked angrily, clenching a hand into a fist for emphasis.

Jack involuntarily took a step back, shaking his head quickly.

"Come on, we need to pack."

"Pack?" Jack blinked at her. "Pack for what--"

"_Your room, dweeb._" Ashley barked out.

"Right." Jack replied immediately, pivoting and heading to the right. Soon they were in his room, Jack watching as Ashley pushed passed him and began invading his closet and pulling out jackets. Winter wear to be more precise.

Click. Click.

"Why are we packing?" Jack ventured in complete bafflement as he stood near the doorway at a lost. Instead of answering, Ashley proceeded to grab one of his bags and folded jackets, scarfs, mittens, and so forth into the bag. He scowled at the scene. She was touching his belongings, a total and complete invasion of his privacy without so much as answering his question and explaining _what the hell she was planning_.

Click. Click.

"Hey!" He snapped at her, briefly catching her attention as she looked up at him sharply with a short glare before returning to her task. He scowled when she finished and shouldered the bag, brushing pass him once again and dropping the bag in the hallway. "What the hell are you doing?"

Click. Click.

"Don't worry about it." Ashley told him without glancing up at him, opting to search the sides of her own jacket.

_What the hell is that sound?_ Jack thought in frustration, more than a little irked by the situation. He continued to glare at Ashley as she was the only person he could possibly vent his anger out on, but soon something literally _click_ed in his mind as his eyes shot down to Ashley's hand that was currently pulling something out of one of her pockets.

She dangled the object in front of his face.

Click. Click. Click--

"That's..." Jack trailed off as his eyes slowly traveled back up to her face, his words dying off his tongue as he felt a cold chill run down his spine once again.

Ashley was smiling at him.

He took a step back as he found himself transfixed by her cold stare that contradicted with her smile.

"Like I said, Jackie. I'm looking out for you."

Before he could respond, Ashley had leaped to the doorway, her hands catching the top of the frame as she swung forward, her legs extended to for a double kick that landed right into his solar plexus, instantly knocking him out. Unable to avoid the unexpected attack, Jack was sent flying into his closet, cracking the wood that lined the back of it. He was slumped over, motionless as pieces of wood fell onto him. With the cacophony of noise from the party, a mixture of dozens of conversations, the clinking of glasses, and music drifting from the ground floor, no one heard the crash from above.

Ashley dropped down in the doorway with a grim smile on her face.

"Because if I don't, you'll always get in the way."

It took her little time to fix Jack's position, but after clearing the debris, she managed to close the closet doors on him. She closed the door to his bedroom as well and dusted off her hands. Bending down, she shoulder the pack she had left in the hallway and walked down the steps without so much as a glance over her shoulder. As she reached the bottom steps, she caught the attention of one of the guests, stepping over to them with a warm smile.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you inform the Spicer's that Jack has fallen ill and he's currently resting in his room?" Ashley asked the guest sweetly. "I wouldn't want them to worry about their only son."

"Of course." The guest, an older woman, said with a gentle smile. "What a kind young girl! He's quite lucky to have such a wonderful friend."

"Yes." Ashley's smile widened. "Wonderful."

* * *

"Kimiko."

Kimiko stepped out into the middle of the courtyard of the temple. Dark clouds were rolling across the sky. Thunder rumbled and shook the earth beneath her feet as lightning cracked across the sky in bright white flashes.

"Kimiko!"

There was a vague familiarity that struck her when the voice called her name, but the recognition would not come. It was an answer on the tip of her tongue, but no matter how hard she tried to focus on the voice, the person's face would slip from her mind, like sand falling through her fingers.

"Who is it?" Kimiko called out, her voice echoing in the courtyard. "Guys? Where are you?"

"Ki...miko!" The voice was starting to become indistinguishable. They were moving away from her. Away from the temple.

"Guys?" Kimiko could feel the thunder humming through her body. She took a hesitant step forward, towards the archway of the temple. Lightning cracked in the sky above her, illuminating her surroundings briefly. Kimiko took a step back.

"... miko!"

The voice may have been getting farther away, but the desperation could still be heard in the voice. Kimiko shut her eyes tightly. Everything in her body told her not to go beyond the temple grounds, to stay in the courtyard. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her mind reasoned that there was nothing but uncertainty outside of the temple.

"_Miko-san._"

Kimiko's eyes snapped open.

Just outside the gateway stood a silhouette. She could not distinguish the features or even if it was a girl or a boy. So caught off guard by the person's appearance, she didn't register the absence of the thunder and lightning or the unnatural stillness that had befallen the area.

Kimiko realized it must have been the figure talking. "What are--"

The figure began speaking--she _knew_ it was the figure speaking--but there was no movement nor any sound coming from the figures mouth. "_What frightens you?"_

The logical part of Kimiko's mind tried to reason with the figure. She wasn't frightened, she was startled. Anyone would if they had been alone one minute only to find a stranger in the span of a second, asking even_ stranger _questions outside of her 'home.' What about you(the figure)? Wouldn't you be frightened to wander around alone in the middle of a storm? Trying to find your way almost blinded by the darkness?

The usual snappy response she would dish out was stuck to her tongue, unable to push it passed her lips. All she could do was stare at the figure, her chest heaving with exertion as if her heart was being gripped by an invisible, icy hand. Her breath was starting to come out in short gasps. Her hands trembled and tears rolled down her cheeks, but she paid them no heed.

"_Miko-san_." The figure stepped closer to the gateway, only mere inches away from opening.

Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the figure.

At that moment, one word came tumbling out of her mouth.

* * *

Kimiko jolted awake, sitting up in her bed with wide eyes. She clutched the bed sheets tightly as the temple walls across from her quarters blurred in and out of focus. Her breathing came in gasps and she closed her eyes to slow her heart rate. Something wet dropped onto her the back of her hands and Kimiko looked down.

"I must have been sweating." She told herself quietly with a slight look of disgust. She headed towards the water basin kept close to their sleeping quarters, kneeling down to cup water into her hands and wash her face. In the process she also washed away the tear tracks on her face. She scrubbed until her face was red, as if she were trying to wash away the feelings that remained from her dream, or her nightmare.

She remembered nothing of what she had dreamt, but the emotions she felt were still fresh that kept her entire body shaking. She let out a soft moan as she rested her warm forehead against the cool stone basin, her eyes closed momentarily before she let out a deep sigh and pushed herself away.

"Guys?" She called out into the dimly lit room, dabbing her face with the small white towel she held in her hands. "Are you awake? Why is it so dark?"

Kimiko frowned when she received no response, squinting her eyes as she scanned the room in search of the others. Instead, she could only locate one of her answers as she found that the source of light came from the window. She stepped over to it, opening the other door to bring more light into the room, but her eyes widened as she found the sun was already starting to sink behind the mountains far in the distance. She turned to see the other quarters only to find unmade beds and the usual mess that cluttered the 'rooms' of her comrades.

"Maybe they're eating dinner?" Kimiko asked aloud, looking slightly miffed at the thought. "Without waking me, thanks a lot guys."

She stumbled back to her quarters, reaching out to her wardrobe unsteadily. Grasping air the first time, Kimiko shook her head and straightened up, catching the sleeve of one of her blouses. She half-heartedly searched through her wardrobe for something to wear, but nothing seemed to catch her eye. Half-way through she gave up, grabbing something at random and pulling it off the hanger.

Dressed in a fresh set of clothes, Kimiko wandered out of the room and around the temple in hopes of finding someone. Even at this time there should have been some sort of activity happening on the grounds. They were teenage boys, after all. Not even Master Fung could manage to have them in meditation for more than a few minutes.

"Kimiko?"

The girl in question jumped, whirling around in a defensive stance. Master Fung stood before her, his hands tucked into his sleeves with a look of surprise.

"Oh, Master Fung. I'm sorry, you startled me." Kimiko apologized as she relaxed her stance.

"I didn't expect you to be back so soon." Master Fung gave her a small smile. "I assume the retrieval of the artifact went well?"

"Retrieval of the... What?" Kimiko's brows furrowed together in confusion.

"You did not go with the others?" Master Fung questioned with his eyebrows furrowed together, but he could already guess what his answer would be.

"Go where--No." Kimiko's eyes narrowed in realization and her hands fisted at her sides.

"No way!"

* * *

"No way."

"Would you rather run around naked?" Ashley questioned, leaning against the wall close to the bathroom door, her arms crossed over her chest. "Look, I know it's disgusting. Hey, I would be disgusted to the point where I'd like to burn my skin off with acid--"

"I am _not_ going to walk around like this." Was the muffled response.

"Don't mistake me with that prissy boy--I actually have the strength to break down this door."

"Go ahead."

"Look," Ashley let her arms fall in exasperation. "You can't stay there for the rest of your life!"

Keiko bit her bottom lip as she stared at her reflection. It was improvement from her half-dead image, but not by much. She was clad in a plain black T-shirt with baggy black pants that touched the ground. Unfortunately, the pants were much too big and fell right over her shoes (still stained with blood and dirt, she couldn't clean it no matter how much soap she used or how hard she scrubbed), hiding them from view, which were the only things that would have contrasted with the completely black outfit she was sporting. She had a belt, but even at the lost notch, the pants still had a few inches passed her legs. She rolled them up about an inch above her heels, opting to keep her injury from view to offer just a little more protection. She was wearing a black pea coat as well, reaching toward her knees and the sleeves dangling over her hands, but that didn't bother her as much as the fact that she was wearing the clothes that belonged to the very person that had gotten her into this mess. She managed to fold the sleeves up to her wrists.

Jack Spicer had looked scrawny, but surprisingly, he was a lot bigger than Keiko expected.

"I'm not joking, I'll break down this door and you may or may not get hurt in the process."

Keiko glanced at the door out of the corner of her eyes, before letting out a sigh. She took one last look at her image in the mirror. It was a lot better than before she got into the shower. Ashley, although Keiko was wary of her, kept her promise and cut her hair. It was even shorter than before, but Ashley commented that Keiko was able to pull off the look. Keiko was too upset to look in the mirror to watch the progress of her new 'style,' but when Ashley was done (had it taken a few minutes? Hours? She didn't even know.) her chin was forced up and Keiko found herself staring at her reflection. Her eyes widened and she could see Ashley's smug expression as she snipped the air with the pair of scissors still in her hands.

"Viola!"

Her hair was salvaged, still the shortest it has ever been, but Ashley had actually done a decent job. She had even managed to short layer it, but she was sure that the 'boy' insults would still come, but at least she no longer looked as if she just had a fight with a lawn mower, and lost.

Keiko opened the door, hopping on her uninjured leg out the door only to have her vision compromised as something blocked out her line of sight.

"What the?!" Keiko pin-wheeled for a moment before she was grabbed by the shoulder and helped to regain her balance.

"Now you're ready." Ashley's voice filtered in through the material that now covered most of Keiko's face, impairing her ability to see, hear and most importantly, breathe.

Click. Click.

"Are you trying to suffocate me?" Keiko gasped as she ripped off the material from her head, seeing out of the corner of her eye that it was a bright red beanie that Ashley had shoved onto her head.

"Quit exaggerating." Ashley snorted, raising her hands above Keiko's head.

"Stop! Stop!" Keiko stumbled back, hitting the wall hard, her head bouncing off the plaster in her haste to get away. Her hands braced over her head, Keiko shut her eyes tightly.

"Relax!" Ashley grabbed Keiko's arms and pushed them down roughly before shoving something over her ears.

There was a long moment of silence. Keiko slowly opened her eyes, blinking as she saw Ashley's mouth moving, but all she could hear was a faint mumble of her voice.

Click. Click.

"_What?_" Keiko said, but stopped as she heard her voice, muffled to her own ears. Panicking, Keiko reached up towards her ears. "**_What_?!**"

Ashley paused, her eyes wide at Keiko's sudden outburst. It was then that Keiko felt the object hindering her sense of hearing and quickly ripped them off. She held a pair of earmuffs by the band, bright red just like the beanie.

"_What?_" Keiko said for the third time, staring at them in disbelief.

"You want to lose your ears? Trust me, you'll be thanking me later." Ashley frowned as she shoved the earmuffs back on Keiko's ears, ignoring her cries of protest as she adjusted it so the beanie was firmly over Keiko's ears, reinforced by the earmuffs and finished her dressing with a bright red scarf wrapped around Keiko's neck, as well as her mouth.

"Mmph?" Keiko moved to pull the scarf down, but Ashley distracted her momentarily by snapping on a pair of goggles onto her eyes none to gently. "Mm!"

"Oh come on, you want to go blind?" Ashley asked her cryptically. "All right, we've wasted enough time, thanks to _someone_."

Click. Click.

Before Keiko knew it, she was grabbed by the wrist and dragged across the basement floor. With the darkened lenses obscuring her vision, she could vaguely make out Ashley's figure in the dimly lit basement. She squeaked into her scarf when she was shoved into a room, landing on her side and unable to move from the painful impact she made with the floor. As Keiko regained her bearings enough to attempt to push herself off the floor, the entire room began to rumble and shake, sending her heart racing. Panicking, Keiko whipped her head around the room trying to locate Ashley, but in the darkness with the addition of the goggles, it would have been the same if she were to look around with her eyes closed. Gritting her teeth in irritation, she ripped off the goggles and scarf.

No sooner had she freed herself did she regret her reactions.

"Welcome passengers to Feline Airlines. Please remained seated at all times as we head for our destination..." Ashley, or more correctly, her thief persona Katnappé sat in the pilot's seat of the aircraft they were on. Keiko could only stare in horror from behind as she felt as if she were about to relive another nightmare she thought she had just escaped from.

"Where..." Keiko finally managed, but could not finished her question. Fear was evident in her eyes, but Katnappé refused to look away from the endless sky that lay before them. Somehow, she knew that Japan wasn't going to be their destination. At least, that what's she hoped. As much as she wanted to go home, her current standings in her home country wasn't exactly _favorable_...

Click. Click.

"Whatever Jack's little toys can do, mine can do better by at least three-fold." Katnappé said confidently, her lips curling into a smirk. "It'd probably take his tin can hours to get to where we're going, so we won't have any interference from him. It'll take us about an hour, tops."

The aircraft rumbled more violently, causing Keiko to jump, slipping on her side once again. Moaning, she rolled over onto her back, willing the pain to disappear.

"You might want to buckle up, I think there was some sort of warning about a storm or blizzard." Katnappé snickered as she heard Keiko jolt up from her spot, scrambling over to the co-pilot's seat. She could see Keiko struggling to buckle herself in and felt a wide grin work it's way on her face as she saw the pallid expression the young Japanese girl showed. Katnappé tightened her grip on the controls.

"Ready?"

* * *

"You better not be getting anything on my jet." Katnappé called out, adjusting her goggles to protect her eyes from the sunlight reflected brightly on the untouched, white snow.

Her answer was the sound of more retching, followed by a series of coughs and gagging.

"Weak stomach." Katnappé sneered as she adjusted her costume, zipping up the additional coat over her skin tight outfit. It was still bitterly cold up in the mountains surrounded by snow, but instead of taking a heavy coat that would have ensured her warmth, she opted for agility and kept it light, but warm enough to keep her from freezing up in case anything should happen.

"Well, well..." Hearing the crunching of footsteps after a period of silence, Keiko appeared from over a snowy mound, her skin ghostly white, but still gray in comparison to the snow that covered the area. At least, what skin she could see of Keiko's was devoid of any healthy coloring as she had the beanie and earmuffs snuggly on her head and the scarf was wrapped around her face, exposing only a small portion of skin under her goggles. She smiled, knowing that if she could see Keiko's eyes, they would have held nothing but the intent to murder her in that moment.

"I'm a great driver, aren't I?"

Keiko said nothing. She stood near the jet, her entire posture rigid, noticeable even under the coat.

"All right, you can stay here. I have to find something." Katnappé said shortly before bounding off into the distance.

Keiko glowered, her stomach still churning and the acidic taste in her mouth as a reminded of what had just happened. She watched as Katnappé became nothing but a black speck in the distance before disappearing entirely from her sight. It was then, in that long moment of silence that Keiko realized she was truly alone in a frozen wasteland and could only wonder what in the world she had gotten herself into, _again_?

Her feet ankle deep in snow, it took what strength Keiko had left in her body to even take a single step forward. Rather than wasting her time, she kept her feet planted where they were, standing a few feet from the aircraft, shivering even as the sun bore down on her from high above. It would have been foolish to even think of trying to escape when she could barely move. She had no idea where she was and it could be miles, no, scratch that, _days_ before she might have been lucky enough to find any signs of life other than the one that had just left her. Standing alone with nothing but a huge piece of metal to keep her company--

Keiko's thoughts took an abrupt turn as she looked over at the jet from the corner of her eyes.

Katnappé was gone. She was alone. The jet was there.

_Put the pieces together_. Hope filled her for the briefest of moments, but then everything was shot down as logic took over.

_Are you seriously considering hijacking, _hijacking_, a _jet_ of all things? _Keiko questioned herself, along with her sanity. _Do you really think a criminal who probably has _some_ use for you is just going to leave the keys_? _She's not stupid, you should realize that now. On top of that, could you even start the engine, if by chance, she did let her guard down_? _I think we're looking at a one way ticket to heaven or even--_

Keiko quickly shook her head as if to clear the thoughts from her mind, but soon her gaze lingered back to the steps that led up to the open door of the jet. It was, of course, true that she probably wouldn't have a chance of piloting the jet successfully even if Katnappé had been that careless. If anything, she left the door wide open to mock her. That seemed to be her style. However, as Keiko's life has been and still is being turned upside down, logic and rationality was becoming more of an optional point of view rather than plain common sense.

Normality was no longer a given. If someone had told her just twenty four hours earlier that she'd be stuck on some mountain thousands of feet in the air bruised and battered almost beyond recognition as a result from her new life as a wanted criminal in Tokyo, let alone all of Japan, she'd probably be at a loss of words from the pure insanity behind the very idea.

And now she wondered if that life, her life or normality, had been nothing but a dream? Perhaps right now she was dreaming?

_Trapped in a nightmare, actually_. Keiko thought humorlessly. She focused her gaze back on the unoccupied aircraft.

Many times, captives tended to _die_ because they stayed quiet and listened to every word their kidnapers told them.

_Just be quiet and everything will be all right_. _Don't worry, I won't kill you as long as you do as I say_.

However, this wasn't the stereotypical capture, but that didn't make it any less dangerous than being in the hands of some crazy pedophile.

Keiko steeled her nerves, even as her legs shook (and she knew it probably wasn't from the cold) as the image of the jet was reflected back in the lenses of her goggles. It was better than standing out here in this frozen wasteland at the mercy of some deranged criminal that probably wouldn't think twice about dropping her as soon as she was done using her (For what, Keiko still had no idea) and besides...

How could it possibly get any worse?

* * *

**AN**: Famous last words. Well I've been sick for quite some time and still trying to recover. I kind of had a relapse at work :x During Finals!!! Anyway, If I never update (which is very likely) before Christmas or New Years, just want to say Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!! Happy holidays, one and all! And read my new story that I'll be posting in **Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends**! Sorry, I couldn't help it :x Hopefully that'll be posted sometime before the new year as well. As for a last note on the progress of this story, my notes are all mixed up so it's taking me some time to reorganize my thoughts. I'm even starting to lose track of details so sorry if things become a little confusing. As always, comments, reviews, e-mails, etc. are always welcomed and appreciated :)

Happy Holidays!


	13. Winter Wonderland

**AN:** It's been a little over year. Are people still reading this? Let's hope so :)

**Author Rant**: I'm just... so stressed out right now :x

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

**(Winter) Wonderland**

* * *

**Dedication** to everyone still reading this story or taking the time to read this story. I hope you enjoy :)

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**

There were countless times when Jack had the pleasure of regaining consciousness with the bonus of a nasty headache threatening to pound his eyes right out of their sockets. This time was no exception as he brought a hand up to his aching brow, moaning loudly. He winced as the sounds seemed to be amplified in his ears. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the task of opening his eyes.

For a moment, he was at a complete loss when he was met with only darkness. A whimper worked its way out of his throat as he stiffened. He shifted in an attempt to stand up, but found his movements were restricted as his limbs hit barriers at all sides. His panic increasing at an alarming rate, he jerked in place, pushing at the barriers he continued to feel under his hands and feet.

It was uncertain as to how long he struggled within his confines, but with a well placed kick Jack tumbled out of his closet with a scream and sprawled onto the floor of his bedroom. He lay there for a moment, wincing as pieces of debris from his closet fell onto his back. He waited until there was only silence before he slowly pushed himself to his knees.

The wheels turned in his head slowly as he continued to sway from side to side, trying to recall where he was and why he had been locked in his own closet--

* * *

What the hell is that sound_? Jack thought in frustration, more than a little irked by the situation. He continued to glare at Ashley as she was the only person he could possibly vent his anger out on, but soon something literally clicked in his mind as his eyes shot down to Ashley's hand that was currently pulling something out of one of her pockets._

_She dangled the object in front of his face._

_Click. Click. Click--_

_"That's..." Jack trailed off as his eyes slowly traveled back up to her face, his words dying off his tongue as he felt a cold chill run down his spine once again._

_Ashley was smiling at him._

_He took a step back as he found himself transfixed by her cold stare that contradicted with her smile._

_"Like I said, Jackie, I'm looking out for you."_

* * *

Jack shouted as he scrambled to his feet and turning on his heel to assess the damage done to his room. His closet was a mess with pieces of wood littering the floor of his room and his clothes in disarray. "Traumatizing me into contracting claustrophobia by locking me in my own closet? Psycho cat b--" 

Jack quickly cut himself as another thought hit him. How long had he been out? He quickly glanced around his room and spotted a clock on his wall, but his face fell as he also realized that he hadn't known what time it had been when he got here.

He pushed himself to his feet, wincing at the sharp pain shooting through his body as he straightened out his spine, edging over to his bedroom door at an agonizingly slow pace. He pulled open to the door and cringed at being met with the noise he dreaded to hear.

The thrum of classical music mingled with the clinking of glasses and social interaction drifted to his ears. That meant the party was still going. His spirits might have lifted in the slightest to know that he couldn't have been out that long if the party was still continuing, but his parents' parties could last until the break of dawn and it wouldn't be too far fetched to believe that they would schedule more than one party in a row.

As Jack made his way out of his room, closing the door behind him in case any wandering guest decided to make themselves a little too comfortable. Just as he was locking his door, an older woman brushed passed him. Jumping in alarm, Jack looked up to see her slowly turn to him, her cheeks red and her hair slightly mused.

_Great_, Jack thought in annoyance, _they're getting drunk already._

"Oh my." The elder woman bubbled, smiling at Jack. "Do forgive me. It seems I've become a bit tipsy."

"Yeah." Jack grunted as he moved towards the steps. "Whatever."

"Oh, the Spicer family is quite wonderful, aren't they?" The woman had actually moved to block Jack's way, making him grit his teeth in irritation. It was a reminder to how much he disliked these parties. Small talk wasn't his thing, especially with old women who believed that applying mountains of foundation and every sort of jewelry piece they could fit on their bodies would give the illusion that they were still young. "I'm an old friend of the family, you see. Such a prominent family! I'm never one to miss a single party they throw and as always, they never fail to invite me."

_That's because they invite _everyone, Jack thought sarcastically as he edged around the woman and turned his back on her, placing a hand on the wall as he descended down the steps.

"And who might you be?" The woman asked curiously as she watched him go.

Jack stiffened for just a moment before relaxing and turning on the woman sharply.

"Jack Spicer." He grounded out through clenched teeth.

"Jack?" The woman looked at him blankly. Recognition suddenly lit her eyes as she clapped her hands together. "Oh, yes, the son of the Spicer family."

He felt his muscles relax as he gave a short nod and continued down the steps.

"Ah yes." Jack heard the woman continue even as he descended down the steps and out of her sight. "They're strange son."

* * *

Jack slammed the door to his basement shut as hard as he could. He winced at the ache it put in his shoulder from the sharp action, but the sound of the door banging against its frame was worth it as he hoped it shook some of his parents' oh-so-precious guests in their designer brand clothes. He stomped the steps, angrily whirling around towards his work table and slammed his fists down on its surface. 

Katnappé has managed to take him out of commission for a while _and_ took his Shen Gong Wu tracker with her. He angrily started up his main computer and started tracing his tracker. If anything were to come out of this misfortune, it would be the fact that Katnappé would lead him to the newly activated Shen Gong Wu and if he were too late, at least he knew who would have it for future reference.

He let out a small shout of victory as his computer pinpointed the signal, finding that it was still on the move which meant Katnappé had yet to arrive at her destination. He quickly gathered what he might need, including his one and only Shen Gong Wu before typing in the required commands in order to chase after Katnappé.

He frowned, feeling as if he forgot something important, but quickly brushed it off as he shoved his laptop into his bag and started towards his jet. He paused, feeling something beneath his foot and glanced down to find something pink sticking out from under the heel of his boot.

Bending down to pick it up, Jack found it was Kimiko's wallet that he had discovered earlier in the week that had actually led him up to this point. He made at face as he happened to open the wallet to a picture of the four Xiaolin warriors. Quickly flipping it away in disgust to find a picture of Kimiko posing next to a strangely familiar looking girl--

"Ah well!" Jack shrugged as he tossed the wallet onto his work table and headed towards his jet.

He more important things to worry about.

* * *

"I'll kill them. I'll kill them. I'll kill them." Kimiko murmured like a mantra under her breath as Master Fung watched her warily. After changing into a more comfortable outfit, she had pulled on a winter coat when Master Fung had vaguely mentioned they had gone somewhere to the North into the mountains. She headed towards the temple that held the Shen Gong Wu, activating the steps and stomping down on the stone blocks before stopping at the drawer and roughly pulling it out. Master Fung watched in amusement as she rummaged through the drawer roughly, wincing at how she handled to the ancient weapons. 

"Kimiko--"

"A-ha!" Kimiko pulled out the Silver Manta Ray in triumph, brandishing it at Master Fung with a dangerous glint in her eye. "They think they can just leave me behind? I'll show them!"

"As impressed with your dedication to your mission as I am," Master Fung stated calmly as he gently blocked the young girl's path. "I must dissuade you from your goal and ask that you merely wait here at the temple for their return."

"_What_?" She nearly screamed in outrage, her voice reverberating off the walls. "I'm the _Dragon of Fire_. One of the four Xiaolin warriors chosen to protect this world from falling into ten thousand years of darkness. Is it not my _duty_ to retrieve every Shen Gong Wu in order to assure peace prevails on earth?"

Master Fung arched an eyebrow.

"Of course that fact that I can _kick their butts_ has nothing to do with this." Kimiko added for good measure.

"Your determination is quite admirable, but I can not allow you to leave for two reasons." Master Fung raised a hand from his sleeves, holding up his index finger. "One, to venture about on your own is dangerous and trying to play the hero--(Kimiko narrowed her eyes)--ine is more likely to cause more problems than to solve them and two, you will be unable to track the Shen Gong Wu without Dojo and may very well end up lost in the mountains."

"Master Fung, a Xiaolin Showdown isn't exactly the most subtle battles ever fought. It's pretty hard to miss and furthermore, I can take care of myself--"

"I know that, Kimiko." Master Fung said heavily. "And I also know that there are incredible burdens upon your shoulder at this very moment."

"Since you know that you should be happy to let me on my--burdens?" Kimiko stopped short. "What? Oh, you mean that fight with Rai? No, no, I'm over that Master Fung! Clear mind, completely focused--"

"I received a call from your father."

There was a long moment of silence.

"M-my father?" Kimiko stuttered. "But... he... Master Fung--"

"He told my that there had been a serious chain of events that may be causing you great discomfort but--"

"Master Fung, not to be rude, but that is none of your concern." Kimiko interrupted sharply.

"--I kindly declined to hear of the details for your own privacy." Master Fung finished with little change in his expression. Almost immediately, Kimiko's expression fell to that of embarrassment and shame for doubting him. "They are your concerns and yours alone, but if you wanted to share them, I would think you would want to share them with me personally, rather than through another party."

"Thank you." She murmured softly, her face burning, but she pressed on. "I'm very sorry, Master Fung."

"I understand that a lot has happened to you since your journey back home, so you need not push yourself--"

"I'm not pushing myself!" Kimiko interrupted once again, frowning. "I'm just _fine_, as much as everyone wants to believe otherwise--"

"Kimiko." Master Fung said her name quietly, but his tone left no room for questions as she quickly quieted herself. "For a warrior to fight at their best, they must be of sound body, mind and _soul_. Right now I believe you are in much turmoil and it would do you a world of good to take the time to come to terms with the information that has been brandished at you in such a short amount of time."

"Master Fung, I'm not weak, crazy or anything like that!" Kimiko nearly shouted in indignation. "I _am_ of sound body, mind and soul! And I won't stand to be ditched by the others just because they think I'm not _stable_ enough to take on a usual task that we've always accomplished in the past. They're not perfect either, you know!"

"Kimiko, they have not abandoned you, nor do I consider you to be lacking in stability." Master Fung stepped towards the fuming girl, placing his hand on her shoulder gently. "We are merely trying to help you. Do not bear the world on your shoulders alone. We are here and we shall always be here for you. Believe in your comrades and do what is best for you for that is the only way that you will be able to truly protect the ones you care about."

Kimiko stared at Master Fung, her eyes luminous in the dimly lit stairwell, shining from her unshed tears. She bit her lip, casting her eyes down and her shoulders shaking.

"Master Fung..."

"Rest for now. Remember that the others would never abandon you, they are only thinking of your health." Master Fung told her quietly as he lead her from the stairwell and back into the main temple. "Why don't you get something to eat? I will join you shortly."

Kimiko turned to watch Master Fung bow out of the temple and back towards the courtyard. Kimiko dropped all pretenses of tears, wiping them away with the back of her sleeve before hurrying through the kitchen and towards the other side of the temple where she was sure she would not be seen. Tossing the Shen Gong Wu into the air, she could only look at the sky dyed with sharp colors of orange and red now spilling over the late afternoon sky.

"Silver Manta Ray!"

Kimiko glanced over her shoulder as she scrambled into the aircraft, her lips pressed into a thin line.

_I'm sorry, Master Fung_.

She knew only had a minute before Master Fung would catch wind of what she was planning.

"... _that is the only way that you will be able to truly protect the ones you care about_."

_I'm sorry, guys._ Kimiko thought as she fell back into the pilot seat of the Silver Manta Ray and adjusted the coordinates before pulling out the Glove of Jisaku. Hoping it might be enough to attract her to the Shen Gong Wu that the others were tracking; she placed it on one of the handles of the steering wheel before pushing forward towards the direction Master Fung had indicated earlier.

_But I've already failed to protect someone I abandoned. I have to find her._

* * *

Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His bruises had yet to heal, but that was nothing compared to his (perpetually) bruised echo that took a recent beating from Katnappé, who he found had already landed quite a while ago. He had slammed his fist against the arm rest of his chair, almost immediately regretting the action as a sharp pain shot up to his shoulder, causing him to whimper. Shaking it off with tears prickling the corners of his eyes, he continued to type away at his laptop, trying to pinpoint her exact location. 

Even as the hours passed he couldn't shake the feeling that he had forgotten something vaguely important. It was like a constant fly buzzing around his head that he couldn't get rid of, but he managed to tamper the feeling down in order to concentrate on more important matters.

_**Zzt**_.

Jack nearly jumped out of his seat at the sound of static sounding over his radio.

"_Can you... zzt... help! Please... zzt... dareka... zzt… tasukete... anyone, please... zzt--"_

Jack could only stare at his radio before it went silent. He blinked when he saw that transmission waves spiking up on his computer screen were originating from Katnappé's jet or at least in the area he managed to guess her jet would be. It sounded as if she were in trouble and calling for help, but somehow that didn't _sound_ like her. Even with all the static he could tell that much. And it seemed they weren't even talking in English at some point--

Jack frowned as the feeling of forgetting something important once again plagued him in full force. It was on the tip of his tongue...

The picture in the wallet suddenly filled his mind as he remembered seeing the Xiaolin dragons, Kimiko and her friend--

_Kimiko's friend_!

Jack jerked his gaze back at the radio, over his shoulder, then at the computer screen. He had forgotten all about her!

_Was that her on the radio? She's with Katnappé?!_ He thought incredulously. _No... no way._

He debated with the idea that she was with Katnappé, his hand hovering over the radio before dropping it back onto his laptop's keyboard. They probably weren't connected on the same frequency anymore and he wouldn't be able to find it in a short amount of time to answer her call. Not that it really mattered and he didn't really want to waste any time on something so trivial.

Jack looked at his laptop, staring at the trace that blinked on Katnappé's location. Maybe there was a way to track her? Jack frowned, continuing to look at the screen, his mind lacking any sort of idea. He let out a frustrated sigh and wondered if he could just call his parents to make sure no bedraggled Asian girl was wandering around their house--

_ Call_...

Jack's eyes widened.

_Cell phone!_

With a grin, Jack cracked his knuckles over his laptop before his fingers began dancing over his keyboard. It minutes he had connected to the number he had called earlier using the same method. All he had to do was wait.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

By the final ring a Japanese message played out of the speakers of his laptop, making him grunt in disgust and ending the call swiftly.

_Maybe I can trace it and find her that way?_ He thought, but frowned. _But what if her phone isn't even with her? Then there'd be no point--_

It was then that the ringing started up. Jack nearly let his laptop slide off his lap as he saw the bold letters alerting him of an incoming call. He stared at it, almost dumbfounded as he realized it was from the very number he had just called. His index finger hovered over the acceptance key for another ring before he finally pressed it.

There was a long moment of silence.

"_Hello? Hello! Can you hear me_?"

Just as he was wondering if he should answer, he heard her voice over the speakers of his computer. His eyes narrowed. It definitely wasn't Ashley's voice.

"_He-hello?" _Her voice was quivering. "_Hello! Can you hear me_?"

Realizing that she would hang up if he didn't answer, Jack spoke up in order to confirm his suspicions.

"So it is you."

There was a pause on the line. He went on, knowing his words were ambiguous and probably caused her only confusion without being more specific.

"You're with Ashley?" He spoke slowly and clearly so she was sure to catch every word.

There was another long pause. He leaned closer, unconsciously holding his breath. Maybe he had been wrong--

"_Spicer_."

Without realizing it, he let out the breath he was holding and a smirk made it's way onto his face.

"The one and only."

* * *

Keiko breathed hard through her mouth as she collapsed in the pilot seat of Katnappé's jet, a cold sheen of sweat appearing on her brow as she grit her teeth in order to bare the pain of her throbbing ankle. She trembled from exhaustion as she slowly straightened up, pulling the goggles off to have a clear look at the control panel before her. It was impossibly complicated looking, especially to someone like Keiko, who felt that she was utterly and completely technologically illiterate. Her hands were just inches away and itched to start pressing buttons or more likely to start banging against the control panel and hope she would find the _right_ switch that could magically fix things so that she was back home, safe and warm in her own bed. 

_Stop it_. Keiko thought angrily. _Feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to get you home_.

_**There's not much else you can do to get yourself home, let alone clear your name and get your **_life_** back.**_

Keiko moaned and folder her arms over the control panel, resting her head against them.

_**You're trapped in a frozen **_wasteland_** with no one but a girl who radiates killing intent towards you. You have no means of escape and your ankle is nearly broken. No food, no water, not even a means for communication--**_

_Damn it._

_... Damn it!_

"_Damn it!_" Keiko screamed, unable to contain her pent up frustration as she reared back and slammed her fists against the many buttons and switches on the control panel before her. She banged her hands against it repeatedly, clenching her jaw as she ignored the pain spiking up her arms.

_**Zzt**_.

Keiko nearly jumped of the seat at the sudden noise. She immediately stopped her actions, pulling away in fear that she had actually done something, but as the noise continued, her spirits began to lift.

_It's static!_

The sound of static meant there was a radio and her frantic pounding meant she actually turned it on. That meant a means of communication which could lead to--

_Help!_

Scrambling around the control panel, Keiko fumbled until she found what she could determine to be the radio from the many movies she had seen and continued to press buttons and twist knobs as she babbled into the radio in her native tongue. She quickly realized that no one would be able to understand her in such a panicked state and quickly pulled the shaking radio from her mouth, leaning back to take a few deep breaths. Her heart rate now at a steady pace, Keiko raised her hand to her mouth and spoke clearly in English. Her voice cracked a few times, but soon she had firm control over her emotions.

"H-hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me?" Keiko spoke as clearly as she could, suppressing her trembling. "Can anyone hear me? Hello?"

It occurred to her that it was possible that her chances of being saved might be better if she spoke in English. She spoke clearly for a few minutes, before feeling that there was no harm in trying to speak in Japanese and altered between the two, tending to linger in English. Minutes passed, but it started to feel like ages to Keiko as she felt her spirits slowly start to fall once again.

_I really could be in the middle of nowhere. Who'd be up here that could actually help me anyway? And how _would_ they help me? How would they even find me?_

_**They won't. You're in a frozen wasteland, I told you that. You're wasting your time. In fact, you're digging yourself deeper. What if she comes back and finds you calling for help? She could easily kill you here--**_

Keiko shut her eyes tightly, shaking her head as the words fell from her dry lips. She hesitantly licked them, her trembling never ceasing as she stared at the radio and slowly out ahead through the windshield. There was nothing but miles and miles of endless fields of snow. There were mountains in the distance, but no sort of plant life or any signs of life at all.

_I'm... trapped?_

It was then that she felt something vibrating against her side. Keiko nearly dropped the radio and quickly glanced over her shoulder fearfully at the entrance to the jet. Realizing that it was merely her cell phone, Keiko sighed in relief.

_It's just my phone..._

Keiko slowly pulled off her scarf as she struggled to unbutton the borrowed coat until her thoughts finally sunk in.

_My... phone? My phone! _

Keiko began to roughly pull off the layers of clothing, trembling as she hurried to get to the inside pocket she had remembered tucking into.

_I'm getting reception! I can call for help! Someone's calling me--_

Keiko paused. The fact that someone was calling her meant it was someone she knew. It could have been anyone at this point, but logically, she could guess that any call she could receive would probably be most unwelcome.

_It could be mama. Or Karen,_ Keiko furrowed her brows together as she frowned. _It could be the police--no, why would they call me? Maybe it's even a friend at school lik--_

_**It could be her.**_

Keiko's eyes widened, knowing _her_ could only be one person. The _one_ person she wanted to talk to the most, and at the same time, the one person she didn't want to confront.

Keiko finally managed to remove the coat, but it seemed to have taken much too long as the vibrating had finally ceased, bringing Keiko's heart to her throat.

_No, no, no!_

She quickly dug her phone from her pocket, nearly yanking off the phone charms she had placed on them as she looked at the small rectangular screen alight with the very words she dreaded to see.

**'Missed Call.'**

Licking her chapped lips, she carefully flipped open her phone.

She felt the tension escape her as she saw only a bunch of numbers. There was no matching name which meant it wasn't someone in her phonebook. Slightly disappointed, she quickly looked to the next important picture on her screen. Giving a slight breathy laugh, she pressed the phone to her forehead, using two hands to hold it tightly, as if it would disappear.

There was a single bar.

Knowing there was a chance of connection, she quickly looked back at the phone and moved her thumb over one of the buttons, but paused as the jumble of numbers stared back at her.

It bothered her. Who would be calling her at this time of day given her current situation? Surely, they must know she was a wanted criminal in Japan? And if that wasn't the case, why would some unknown number be calling her? It would have been best to let sleeping dogs lie, but at this point Keiko felt there was little more that could be done to make her situation any worse that it already was and the curiosity was almost overwhelming.

She called it.

The phone took a few moments to actually connect, almost freezing her heart in her chest during those long ten seconds, but the moment she heard the ringing she was at ease. It rung once, twice, three times. On the fifth ring, Keiko was beginning to regret her decision and prepared to hang up.

The line picked up.

Keiko nearly gasped out aloud in surprise, but held it in as she took a quivering breath and waited. There was no response for a few seconds, putting her on edge once again. Unable to take the silence she quickly blurted out a greeting.

"Hello? Hello! Can you hear me?"

There was only silence on the line.

"He-hello?" Keiko felt a sudden dread grip her heart. Had she lost contact already? "Hello! Can you hear me?"

"_So it is you."_

Keiko felt her brows furrow together. There wasn't any static that she could hear, but the answer was so strange that she wondered if she had heard it right. She had to admit that there seemed to be an odd sort of familiarity to the voice and apparently, by the response she was receiving, they obviously felt the same.

"_You're with Ashley?_"

Keiko felt the bottom from her stomach drop. The only person she had ever heard to use that name was--

"Spicer." She whispered listlessly.

There was a momentary pause before the smug voice responded on the line.

"_The one and only_."

Keiko was unable to bring herself to answer as the phone slipped from her hand and onto the scarf that lay across her lap. The corner of her mouth twitched up into a humorless smile, a forced laugh making it's way out of her throat of its own accord.

_Things couldn't get any worse..._

Keiko moaned, slapping the heels of her palms against her eyes in order to suppress the scream of frustration that was ready to burst from her lungs. She shook her head violently, almost as if to drown out the sound of Jack's voice drifting up from the phone on her lap. Of course he would be the one to answer her call. It was as if he had just placed all of her hopes into a blender and pressed purée.

With what energy she had left, she picked up the phone and placed it back to her ear.

"Why?" She murmured.

"_Hello? Hel-l-o! Hey, don't tell me you hung up--_" Pause. "_Huh?_"

"_Why? Why?! Why of all people do you have to answer?_" Keiko shouted angrily into the phone in her native language, too angry to realize her sudden switch in tongues.

"_Yeah. Sure._" Jack answered hesitantly. "_Now that we got that covered, why the _hell_ are you with _her"

"How should I know? She didn't tell me anything and took off a few years of my life getting us here--" Keiko faltered when his question sunk in.

Why _was_ she her with that girl? Keiko pulled the phone from her ear, ignoring Jack's attempts to get her attention. Katnappé hadn't bothered to explain her reasoning behind forcing Keiko to come with her and in actuality, she couldn't see any purpose she could serve for even being here. Then again, she still didn't know why Jack continued to keep her around either.

What made her so important?

"Hey." Keiko readjusted the phone to her ear, cutting off Jack once more, much to his displeasure.

"_Damn it, stop doing that. Connection up here isn't the best so I never know if you're really cut off or you're just spacing out--_"

"Why did you help me earlier?"

"--_or maybe you just decided to hang up--what?_"

"In the hospital and finding Kimiko." She had to force the name from her lips. It even hurt to say it.

"_I told you already._" He said hesitantly.

"No, you didn't. You offered to do a lot for me, despite the fact that you should since it's your fault I'm in this mess--("_Hey!_")--but you never explained why." Her brows furrowed together. "What's in it for you?"

"_That's a great question._" Jack agreed all too cheerfully. "_How about I answer it _after_ we handle what's important first_."

"Important? This is pretty important in my opinion." Keiko ground out angrily. This was her life that they were talking about, but then again to a self-centered, so called 'evil genius,' I guess the lives of others mattered little to them unless it tied in with their plans.

"_I'm not saying it's not important_." Jack said in irritation. "_Just not as important as the Wu--is Ashley there with you?_"

"No. She said she had something to do." Keiko frowned. The Wu? Did he mean that thing that woman who had attacked them earlier had? "What do you mean--"

"_Great, she probably has the Wu by now. Listen, just don't say anything about me to her, got it?_"

"Why?"

"_Why? Because that psycho knocked me out just to keep me from getting in the way._"

"She knocked you out?" It shouldn't have surprised her, but she couldn't shake the chill that ran down her spine. "Are you okay?"

"_What do you think_?" The reply hadn't been immediate, but it held the same amount of sarcasm he liked to use.

"What do you mean, get in the way?" Keiko continued on, realizing she had wasted her concern, although that should have been obvious from the start.

"_Just keep your mouth shut until I get there_."

"What? How do you even know--" Keiko began to question, but a sound from her phone informed her that he had already cut the call. Indignant, Keiko pulled the phone away and stared at the flashing numbers on her LCD screen.

"That arrogant..." Keiko snapped the phone shut, wrapping her fingers around the small device tightly. He really thought that she would stay quiet at his command? "I'm not going to just sit here quietly."

"That's good to know."

Keiko stiffened in her seat, her eyes wide and a cold sweat once again breaking upon her brow. She jerked her head to the side, looking over her shoulder in increasing anxiety as she caught sight of Katnappé standing in the entrance to the jet. She had one arm braced against the frame while the other rested on her hip, each claw tapping against the material of her outfit as she arched a brow in amusement.

"Talking to yourself, are you?"

Keiko forced her body to relax, placing her cell phone back into the jacket as discreetly as possible as she gave her captor a tremulous smile.

"Yeah, I guess. It's kind of nerve wracking to be here by yourself."

"I'd say." Katnappé sniffed. "Well let's give you something to take your mind off of that. Let's go."

"Go?" Keiko stared at Katnappé blankly as she stepped towards the girl and gripped her by the arm, yanking her out of the seat and shoving her roughly towards the doorway.

"You heard me. Since you're so uncomfortable just idling here on your own, let's give you something to do."

"Wait, wait!" Keiko gasped out as pain shot up from her ankle and up her leg. She grabbed onto the doorframe, clutching at it tightly as she tried to regulate her breathing and wait for the pain to subside. Katnappé pulled away in surprise, glancing down at the leg the shorter girl was favoring. She had forgotten about the injury she had. Watching as the Asian girl trembled from exhaustion, Katnappé made a decision.

"Okay, I have a deal for you." Keiko slowly looked over at Katnappé, her mouth still open as she panted, sweat dripping down her face.

"Deal?"

"Do you need to clean out your ears? I hate repeating myself." Katnappé said in a dangerously low voice. Keiko wisely decided to hold her tongue until Katnappé had finished her offer. "You're a criminal in your home country, aren't you?"

Keiko said nothing, but the dark look she sent Katnappé had her smirking.

"I'll help you clear your name if you help me."

"How?" Keiko frowned.

"We'll pin the rap on Jack. It's his fault that you're in this mess in the first place, isn't it?"

_And yours_, Keiko thought bitterly, but said nothing.

"He's ruined your life, hasn't he?" Katnappé questioned, unknowingly repeated Keiko's earlier thoughts. "You don't owe him anything. It's him who owes you the world for what he's done. _You're_ world."

_**He's ruined your life, hasn't he?**_

Keiko gripped tightened against the unyielding steel.

_**Hasn't he?**_

"Once you help me find what I'm looking for here, we'll clear your name and you'll be back safe and sound. This will be nothing but a bad dream. In time, of course."

Keiko matched Katnappé's gaze for a long moment as the blonde girl stepped around her and out of the jet, turning around swiftly. The snow crunching under her boots as she held out her hand to the shorter girl. Keiko dropped her gaze to the offered hand, then back up to Katnappé's gaze. She let out one last breath as she straightened up, her shoulders pulled back as she stumbled out of the jet, but refused to take the help Katnappé offered her.

Katnappé watched Keiko straighten up expressionlessly, letting her hand fall. The shorter girl took a deep breath before adjusting her goggles and turning to the cat thief with her mouth set in a grim line.

"How am I supposed to help?"

Katnappé lips stretched over her teeth to reveal her pointed grin.

"Good girl."

* * *

Keiko was many things at this moment, but an idiot wasn't one of them. She knew that Katnappé could only be trusted as far as she could throw her. 

She had to use most of her energy just to keep up with the other girl who was already meters ahead of her. Although she claimed to need Keiko's help, she did little to make the job easier for the injured girl. Several times Katnappé would pause and just as Keiko was sure she would catch up, the cat thief would bound off in another direction. This caused great stress to Keiko's injury, but she said nothing. There was no way she would give the blonde girl the satisfaction of knowing how hard this was on her.

She had given the idea that she was accepting Katnappé's deal, but in reality Keiko had no real interest in what Katnappé had to offer her. She knew that the only person she could trust was herself and she was set on making sure that _everyone_ who had played a part in Keiko's false incrimination would be found out and brought to justice, no matter what or how long it would take her.

She would make sure both Jack Spicer and Katnappé would not stay free.

So lost in her thoughts, Keiko stumbled right into Katnappé. The cat thief had finally come to a stop, but felt Keiko suddenly collide against her. She turned around swiftly, eyes narrowing at the form she saw and let out a low growl as she raised her claws high into the air in preparation to strike. Shocked at the sudden attack directed towards her, Keiko raised up her hands in order to defend herself, stepping back in alarm only to fall as her ankle gave out beneath her. Crying out in pain, she didn't notice as Katnappé swiped at the place Keiko had just been.

Katnappé's eyes widened at the cry, still stuck in her striking pose as she stared at the young girl clutching at her ankle, the goggles askew as she moaned in pain. For a moment, she had forgotten that it was Keiko, considering her outfit. It was all too similar to a certain someone, and for good reason too.

"Sorry." Katnappé forced out, grimacing as if the word left a bitter taste in her mouth. "It's just that... never mind, just watch where you're going!"

Keiko looked up at her with tears prickling the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Saying nothing in response, she readjusted the goggles and slowly rose to her feet.

"Anyway," Katnappé pressed on. "I need to find something and according to this--(She raised an odd looking watch that had four arrows, all of which were clicking rapidly in time with a red light)--it should be here but as you can see..."

Katnappé threw out her arms, gesturing to their surroundings. There was nothing but snow. There were no landmarks, signs of life, or any change of scenery at all. Absolutely nothing but miles and miles of snow.

"I'm guessing that it's buried somewhere around here, but it could takes ages to find."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Keiko frowned as she took a quick assessment of the area.

"So you're going to help me."

"Are you kidding?" Keiko had to keep from gaping at the audacity of her request. "You want to freeze to death out here looking for--what are we looking for?"

Katnappé shrugged.

"You'll know when you find it."

Keiko let her jaw drop.

"You want to dig through the snow looking for only _God-knows-what_ and risk frostbite?"

"It's either that or you can _bleed_ to death out here once I cut you to shreds." She lifted her hand and pointed a single claw at her goggles to make her point. "Oh, and there is our deal and a lifetime in prison for you even if you manage to escape, isn't that right?"

If it was possible to see the expression on Keiko's face, Katnappé would have guessed it would have been murderous by the killer intent she felt radiating off the smaller girl in waves. Without another word, Keiko dropped to her knees and began to roughly dig into the snow. Smirking, Katnappé followed suit, having a much easier time with her steel claws, but it made the task no less impossible.

As if to emphasize that fact, snow began to fall. Keiko paused in her wild digging as she saw flakes sticking to the sleeves of her coat only to melt instantaneously. She looked up, her head tilted back as she saw the snowflakes dancing down from the gray sky through the polarized goggles over her eyes.

_Is it snowing there_? Keiko wondered, thinking of home. The only response to her silent question was the sound of Katnappé cutting through the snow and the howl of the icy winds nipping through their coats.

"_This will be nothing but a bad dream."_

Katnappé's words echoed through her head and Keiko imagined what she would have been doing now. Things she had taken for granted and even despised to do. Going home to an empty apartment, but it would have been _her_ apartment. It would of been her nice, safe, warm home where she would have done her homework and chores and taken a nice hot bath and perhaps even huddle up under a _kotatsu__**(1) **_ nice and warm and fallen asleep to meet a new, _normal_ day that she had lived every day of her life.

However, normal was overrated and it seemed that it would be fate that would give her a refreshing lesson that change was necessary.

The only warning Keiko was given was the Katnappé's outraged cry mingled with warrior cries before she the breath was pushed out of her lungs at the sudden force that hit her and drove her into the hard packed snow.

_It hurts._

That's all Keiko could think as the goggles were nearly crushed through her skin and bruising her skull. She was now appreciative of the fact that Katnappé had given her so much clothing, it cushioned the impact. It wasn't by a lot, but at least she wasn't bleeding. Or so she hoped.

Keiko was gasping for air as she was sure she could see stars. After being in so many life threatening situations, it seemed that her body had built up in strength to keep her from blacking out. She was sure that if it hadn't, she would certainly have been dead by now.

Believing there was no time to sit and reflect on the possibility of broken bones, Keiko quickly pushed herself from the ground and turned onto her back, biting her lip to keep from crying out in pain to see that Katnappé had already engaged in battle with a young, bald headed boy. The ferocity of their attacks held nothing back and held her momentarily in awe, but she quickly looked away and searched the landscape. There had to have been someone else to have attacked her.

"It's this way!"

Keiko looked for the source of the voice, but only found Katnappé and the young boy batling to be the only movement in the frozen wasteland.

"Keep her busy, Omi!" Another boy appeared in her line of sight, jumping passed the two and towards a goal that only he could see. Keiko watched him and wondered if that was the one who had attacked her.

"All right, Jack."

Keiko nearly squeaked in surprise when she felt herself being lifted off her feet by the collar of her jacket. Instinctively kicking out, she used her uninjured foot to get her attacker to release her, but her foot was easily immobilized in their hand.

Keiko froze, looking up in disbelief. Who had enough power to lift her _and_ stop her kick? Who had that kind of strength?

Her question was almost immediately answered as her she found a towering figure holding her a good few feet off the ground. He looked as if he had walked out of an old western film.

"Since when have you an' Katnappé decided to partner up?" Her attacker asked. "I thought she hated your guts, Jack."

Keiko could only dangle in his grasp as she let his words sink in.

"Jack… Spicer?"

"What? Did that hit I gave you make you forget your own name?" Her attacker asked incredulously.

_Spicer…_

_They think I'm Jack Spicer?!_

* * *

**Notes**: **(1)** Kotatsu - It's a low wooden table that has a heat source and it's covered by a futon or heavy blanket. Usually used during the winter :)

**AAN**: ... Yeah. For the lame title, I was kind of thinking that Keiko was like Alice in Wonderland and instead of following the rabbit, she's following the chesire cat (i.e. Katnappé) :x I tried!


End file.
